Scan barcode
timna_wyckoff's review
3.0
I appreciated the creative and novel approach to this mystery story, but after the first couple chapters (which were great) the writing and organization felt forced and a little dull.
bibliovino's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
4.0
A wild ride full of ghosts and villains. Who can Rita trust and how can she battle her demons and those rising in the world around her? I loved the creepy atmosphere, the forensic setting and the Navajo influences.
julieb3a's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.25
I like the subject matter more than the average book, but her writing was super repetitive making the book feel really slow.
booplesnoot_'s review
dark
emotional
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
4.0
I would read 20 more books from the perspective of Rita Todacheene
I will say that I wasn’t as interested in the crime aspects of the story as I wanted to be when it kicked in full gear 2/3 of the way in. This also doesn’t help with the intensity of the revelations that come towards the end when we find out who’s involved and who’s doing what. I was more interested in exploring Rita as a character and learning about her past, and all her stories of when she was dealing with ghosts. But the whole book deserves praise for everything everything else. Two timelines are well balanced. It has a wonderful cast of characters (although, Philip would’ve gotten a punch in the face from me if he tried to give me drugs without my consent lol). On that note actually, I felt like Shanice and Philip kind of just showed up out of nowhere, even though we see Shanice in the past timeline, but they kind of just show up as if they have been there the whole time and the story doesn’t really do much to justify them being there. But this is a small nitpicky thing. Like I said, 20 more books. I am Diné as well, so I may be a little bit biased seeing some of my culture represented, but I don’t care, it’s still a good book
I will say that I wasn’t as interested in the crime aspects of the story as I wanted to be when it kicked in full gear 2/3 of the way in. This also doesn’t help with the intensity of the revelations that come towards the end when we find out who’s involved and who’s doing what. I was more interested in exploring Rita as a character and learning about her past, and all her stories of when she was dealing with ghosts. But the whole book deserves praise for everything everything else. Two timelines are well balanced. It has a wonderful cast of characters (although, Philip would’ve gotten a punch in the face from me if he tried to give me drugs without my consent lol). On that note actually, I felt like Shanice and Philip kind of just showed up out of nowhere, even though we see Shanice in the past timeline, but they kind of just show up as if they have been there the whole time and the story doesn’t really do much to justify them being there. But this is a small nitpicky thing. Like I said, 20 more books. I am Diné as well, so I may be a little bit biased seeing some of my culture represented, but I don’t care, it’s still a good book
amandaformby's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
kswartz's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.5
reaperreads's review
4.0
I loved this novel so much! It marries mystery with horror very well, making it a helluva page turner even with the jumping back and forth between Rita's youth and her present situation.
The promise of the mystery made me think that more of the present intrigue would have been sprinkled throughout the story; because of this, the ending wound up feeling a bit rushed to me even though it was still satisfying. Don't let that stop you from picking this one up, though--it succeeds as a horror because I wanted to see Rita overcome what was haunting her and literally recoiled when the ghosts would get too close and, at times, too sinister. And the exploration of familial love in this novel was so heartwarming that I wondered what my life would have been like had I gotten to know my grandmother better. That's all I will say without spoiling anything!
The promise of the mystery made me think that more of the present intrigue would have been sprinkled throughout the story; because of this, the ending wound up feeling a bit rushed to me even though it was still satisfying. Don't let that stop you from picking this one up, though--it succeeds as a horror because I wanted to see Rita overcome what was haunting her and literally recoiled when the ghosts would get too close and, at times, too sinister. And the exploration of familial love in this novel was so heartwarming that I wondered what my life would have been like had I gotten to know my grandmother better. That's all I will say without spoiling anything!
shksprsis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
4.25
mistymountainreads's review against another edition
5.0
"Grandma always said to me that you never do things for people to get something in return. That is the white man's way of living. You do it because they need you. You do it because if you don't, no one else will."
taygram's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25