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notmaiareading's review
4.0
I didn't know what to expect with the book, and what this book was, was definitely not what I expected and wow it blew me away.
I have been in a reading slump for 3 weeks and this has taken me right out of it. Although it is not perfect I loved the story. I do however wish the book had been longer as I would have loved to explore the relationship between the main character and Cash more as although we got the idea of what their relationship was like I feel it would have been more impactful if it has been explored longer.
In saying this I did think the book was good and the topic were discussed tastefully and in a way that was not traumatising especially as I have dealt with some of these issues and reading them in books sometimes is extremely triggering but the way the book discussed these themes were not.
I have been in a reading slump for 3 weeks and this has taken me right out of it. Although it is not perfect I loved the story. I do however wish the book had been longer as I would have loved to explore the relationship between the main character and Cash more as although we got the idea of what their relationship was like I feel it would have been more impactful if it has been explored longer.
In saying this I did think the book was good and the topic were discussed tastefully and in a way that was not traumatising especially as I have dealt with some of these issues and reading them in books sometimes is extremely triggering but the way the book discussed these themes were not.
thatashgirl83's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
aclopez6's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read an arc version of this book!
The premise of this book drew me in--a mysterious illness that causes an entire town to be consumed by murderous thoughts each November? Intriguing. The book itself is a bit more than that. Somehow, it also feels darker than I anticipated and desired, but that’s a personal preference.
What I did like: there are a sprinkling of newspaper clippings that highlight different deaths--including a teacher killing two toddlers and our main character, Wyatt’s own mother’s murder. Provides some context building while still keeping the story going. I also found the relationship between Wyatt and her dad intriguing, and his character was very supportive.
What I wasn’t a fan of: the characters and some of the writing/use of figurative language. This is all personal preference. This book will be a quick read for many students and they might love it. Personally, I found Wyatt unlikeable and unrelatable. Again, preference-wise, I did not love the overdramatic figurative language used to describe how Wyatt was navigating the trauma of her mom’s death, nor how Wyatt interacted with Quinn or Cash. Cash was especially unlikeable and confusing--his motives and the choices he makes are all over the place, and I wish there was more character development and backstory for him.
Although I did not love this book personally, it was okay enough that I would put it in a school library if offered the opportunity. Still, I would not put it in my classroom library, nor could I see myself recommending this to a student.
The premise of this book drew me in--a mysterious illness that causes an entire town to be consumed by murderous thoughts each November? Intriguing. The book itself is a bit more than that. Somehow, it also feels darker than I anticipated and desired, but that’s a personal preference.
What I did like: there are a sprinkling of newspaper clippings that highlight different deaths--including a teacher killing two toddlers and our main character, Wyatt’s own mother’s murder. Provides some context building while still keeping the story going. I also found the relationship between Wyatt and her dad intriguing, and his character was very supportive.
What I wasn’t a fan of: the characters and some of the writing/use of figurative language. This is all personal preference. This book will be a quick read for many students and they might love it. Personally, I found Wyatt unlikeable and unrelatable. Again, preference-wise, I did not love the overdramatic figurative language used to describe how Wyatt was navigating the trauma of her mom’s death, nor how Wyatt interacted with Quinn or Cash. Cash was especially unlikeable and confusing--his motives and the choices he makes are all over the place, and I wish there was more character development and backstory for him.
Although I did not love this book personally, it was okay enough that I would put it in a school library if offered the opportunity. Still, I would not put it in my classroom library, nor could I see myself recommending this to a student.
gabrielle_erin's review
4.0
THIS RLY CAME OUTTA NOWHERE AND SLAPPED ME AROUND THE FACE. Was the mystery/thriller element of this book groundbreaking? No, absolutely not; I saw the ending coming a mile off. But at its core, this is not a book about the deaths in the town, rather, the "November sickness", an allegory for toxic and abusive behaviours that develop codependencies and take lives. Walter's depiction of the suffocating nature of giving yourself to someone who is incapable of loving you was perhaps the scariest part of this story. Beautiful prose that took me right back to being a teenager who desperately wanted to be the world for someone.
bellahm16's review
4.5
this book made me hurt. i could have read it in one sitting but took a break, and the entire time i wasn’t reading this book, i was thinking about it. the author’s portrayal of pain and grief and betrayal are so real and felt so viscerally by all of the characters (and the reader- sometimes it felt like she was voicing thoughts i’ve only ever said to myself) that i couldn’t look away and couldn’t put the book down.
even though cash is the villain here, and it’s relatively easy to see from the beginning, it was still incredible (in a dark way) to watch wyatt finally piece it all together and take herself back.
i’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
i’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
nana08's review
5.0
My favorite book ever!!!!! Like if I could read it again for the first time I would cry!!!! THIS WAS MY FAV EVER!!!!
deann's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
theboldbookworm's review
4.0
Every November in Wolf Ridge, people die. Some are murdered, some die in tragic accidents, and some take their own lives. It only happens in November and Wyatt thinks there is a sickness in town that makes people do horrible things. Wyatt is cigarettes and cuss words. She is madly in love with her friend Cash who she has known almost her entire life. When Wyatt gets paired with Porter for a class project, her world starts to change. She is trying to find out who her mom's killer is and what exactly happened.
This book is kind of heavy on the romance, but it's real and messy romance. It took me back to the kind of desperate teen romance where one person is your entire life. It's also dark and there is violence. This is a great YA horror with teenage angst, heartache, a mystery, and some very dark moments.
This book is kind of heavy on the romance, but it's real and messy romance. It took me back to the kind of desperate teen romance where one person is your entire life. It's also dark and there is violence. This is a great YA horror with teenage angst, heartache, a mystery, and some very dark moments.