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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
Apparently this is meant to be a fast-paced book – I definitely did not get that vibe. As with Goth Girl, I really tried to push myself to read and like this book, and I eventually decided this was not worth it. I really liked that it was diverse and I enjoyed seeing the Bronx rather than New York or another standard American setting – especially when they added a bit of history – that I did enjoy. That was sort of all that I enjoyed about the book.
The book didn’t scare me – I love horror movies so when I read a horror book I want that same feeling. I unfortunately didn’t feel the same way, which might’ve been another reason for my dnf – that I couldn’t get into the book because the horror wasn’t enough for me.
Even though I got to nearly 60% I still felt like I didn’t know anything about the characters, and yet I had been given a lot of information about them. I think the writing was fine enough, I just couldn’t find anything about… anything to really dig into the story and enjoy. Much like Goth Girl, this will find their audience and others will enjoy it.
dark
emotional
tense
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:
No
dark
mysterious
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:
No
First of all, this cover is STUNNING! I saw the cover on Scribd and wanted to check it out immediately. It is wonderful to see a cast of characters that are mostly Afro-Latinx and one that also has queer (sapphic) representation. I liked the importance of Bronx history. All of this made for a unique story that made me interested in reading more from this author in the future.
I am not much of a horror reader and I am older than the typical young adult intended audience, so that might be why I didn't love this one. I liked it overall! It was a fun ride! It just was not one that was overly memorable to me. I love YA books, and definitely think all ages can enjoy them, but this one just read like it would be better for the younger audience as intended (not a negative, just something to note if you want to read it), in terms of the character and character development. I wanted more depth from the relationships in the book.
I am not much of a horror reader and I am older than the typical young adult intended audience, so that might be why I didn't love this one. I liked it overall! It was a fun ride! It just was not one that was overly memorable to me. I love YA books, and definitely think all ages can enjoy them, but this one just read like it would be better for the younger audience as intended (not a negative, just something to note if you want to read it), in terms of the character and character development. I wanted more depth from the relationships in the book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
A teen is trying to figure out her crush on a girl, also her best friend's crush, and shit is going down. Her crush's cousin infects her mom with some supernatural virus. And now she's getting closer to her crush. It really is perfect for Stranger Things fans, except way more diverse and modern. Definitely recommend this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Medical content, Grief, Classism
Moderate: Police brutality
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Blood
Moderate: Gore, Racism, Colonisation
Minor: Police brutality
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really liked this horror that confronts generational trauma and history in an interesting and totally creepy way. I also loved how Raquel is queer but coming out isn't a concern nor is parental or even friend acceptance. It's nice to have a LGBTQ+ character that gets to be her own hero without those concerns weighing her down! :)
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Murder
Trigger Warnings: Gore, violence, racism, homophobia, police violence, gun violence, misogyny, missing family member, sick family member
Representation: Lesbian, Black, Afro Dominican American
Burn Down, Rise Up is a sapphic horror story about Raquel and her crush, Charlize, who team up to find Charlize’s mysteriously missing cousin. The Bronx has experienced these disappearances for years, but it is often ignored. The two teens have to play the Echo Game in order to try to save the city.
This eARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was way too scary for me! I am not a fan of horror or thriller but this was a great book! The Echo Game was an interesting concept and very creepy. The story is very fast paced and the characters are absolutely stunning. They feel like people you’ve known your whole life and are very relatable and well developed. This book also spotlighted a neighborhood in the Bronx and included such rich history. It was very interesting to read about a place that I have been to but didn’t know so much about. The story is also completely applicable to today’s society. Raquel is such a strong character who tries to stand up to all of the corruption in her world. I think we all need to be a bit more like her.
Representation: Lesbian, Black, Afro Dominican American
Burn Down, Rise Up is a sapphic horror story about Raquel and her crush, Charlize, who team up to find Charlize’s mysteriously missing cousin. The Bronx has experienced these disappearances for years, but it is often ignored. The two teens have to play the Echo Game in order to try to save the city.
This eARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was way too scary for me! I am not a fan of horror or thriller but this was a great book! The Echo Game was an interesting concept and very creepy. The story is very fast paced and the characters are absolutely stunning. They feel like people you’ve known your whole life and are very relatable and well developed. This book also spotlighted a neighborhood in the Bronx and included such rich history. It was very interesting to read about a place that I have been to but didn’t know so much about. The story is also completely applicable to today’s society. Raquel is such a strong character who tries to stand up to all of the corruption in her world. I think we all need to be a bit more like her.
dark
emotional
informative
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