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A review by ladyofways
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
4.0
Really more of a 3.5, but it was a quick read and I liked it enough to be generous. It reads like a pretty straightforward YA novel in terms of plot: teen girl with a troubled past moves to a strange town, tries to fit in, gets a boyfriend, then realizes how strange the place really is and has to fight evil to save her loved ones.
I was impressed with the depiction and handling of Hanna's mental illness. It's surprisingly not a big deal because the circumstances she finds herself in are so much worse, but it's still never brushed off or irrelevant and ends up being her strength. It is difficult to tell sometimes what's real and what's hallucination, but that is obviously the point since Hanna can't distinguish either.
The other thing that stood out to me were the monsters and magic. For a one-off short book, the world is surprisingly original while still seeming coherent. It wasn't a place I would ever want to live, but it was cool to visit for a brief time. Totally worth checking out!
I was impressed with the depiction and handling of Hanna's mental illness. It's surprisingly not a big deal because the circumstances she finds herself in are so much worse, but it's still never brushed off or irrelevant and ends up being her strength. It is difficult to tell sometimes what's real and what's hallucination, but that is obviously the point since Hanna can't distinguish either.
The other thing that stood out to me were the monsters and magic. For a one-off short book, the world is surprisingly original while still seeming coherent. It wasn't a place I would ever want to live, but it was cool to visit for a brief time. Totally worth checking out!