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A review by rincondejoss
River of Ashes by Alexandrea Weis, Lucas Astor
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to Katie and Brey PA, Vesuvian Media, Lucas Astor, and Alexandrea Weis for providing me with a digital copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Firsts Impressions
This one since it was a horror, it was very slow at the beginning for any reason, we can do horror without slow burn really. the setting was in high school, for a lot of us that could have been hell most probably, for others will be the best time of their lives and for the very weird minority we don't even really register it.
Now we did have the very tense atmosphere of adolescence in it's breaking point, guys and girls discovering what they wanted in life and making plans.
for me it was very difficult to relate to almost any character but leslie maybe, so that didn't help me since it was more like a task by the end.
Characters
Leslie did have a personality that was good, I liked that in insight she did have a little maturity to her not all the way but more than the other girls in this book.
Beau was absolutely despicable, but I do think that was the aim with him, why are girls always wanting a douche like that I will never know.
Dawn I could understood her in a very long shot, but there's always that friend that is insecure but doesn't seem that way and you envy her because she is perfect.
Derek was so sweet he was I think the only good think in these whole ordeal.
Themes
Now we did have a lot of triggers in this one, we did have rape, cruelty, horrible parenting, to say a few.
Final Thoughts
By the end it did surprise me with that twist, but it didn't peak my interest for a later date really, I was just glad it was over and in the worst case scenario it shed a little light but it was already too late.
Firsts Impressions
This one since it was a horror, it was very slow at the beginning for any reason, we can do horror without slow burn really. the setting was in high school, for a lot of us that could have been hell most probably, for others will be the best time of their lives and for the very weird minority we don't even really register it.
Now we did have the very tense atmosphere of adolescence in it's breaking point, guys and girls discovering what they wanted in life and making plans.
for me it was very difficult to relate to almost any character but leslie maybe, so that didn't help me since it was more like a task by the end.
Characters
Leslie did have a personality that was good, I liked that in insight she did have a little maturity to her not all the way but more than the other girls in this book.
Beau was absolutely despicable, but I do think that was the aim with him, why are girls always wanting a douche like that I will never know.
Dawn I could understood her in a very long shot, but there's always that friend that is insecure but doesn't seem that way and you envy her because she is perfect.
Derek was so sweet he was I think the only good think in these whole ordeal.
Themes
Now we did have a lot of triggers in this one, we did have rape, cruelty, horrible parenting, to say a few.
Final Thoughts
By the end it did surprise me with that twist, but it didn't peak my interest for a later date really, I was just glad it was over and in the worst case scenario it shed a little light but it was already too late.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Bullying, Death, and Murder