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A review by bandysbooks
Burying Eva Flores by Jennifer Alsever
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Eva Flores is a TikTok celebrity and recent transplant to the area. She gets along with everyone except for sullen, introverted artist, Sophia. Their rivalry gets more and more out of hand, but then Eva goes missing and Sophia becomes the prime suspect. The story that unwinds is unusual and unpredictable.
I really liked the main character Sophia. In some ways, she reminds me of myself when I was in high school. She sort of does her own thing and refuses to bend to what is popular. It makes her a good foil to the constantly dancing, bubbly Eva.
As for Eva, I really disliked her throughout most of the story, but I believe that you're not really supposed to like her. She comes across as shallow and extraordinarily petty when she doesn't get her way. The levels she goes to to get revenge against Sophia are insane. I did find bits unrealistic, but I was able to suspend disbelief.
The only real issue that I had with this book is the way in which the story is told. The book alternates between narrative chapters, text messages, emails, and police interviews. The narrative portions also bounce between past and present. This, in my opinion, makes the reading a bit confusing, particularly in the beginning before we really know what's going on. I personally could've done without the emails, text messages, and interviews.
All in all, it was an enjoyable young adult mystery that would certainly be suited to pre-teens and teens. It was fun imagining the life of a social media star and how the world around her would treat her.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I really liked the main character Sophia. In some ways, she reminds me of myself when I was in high school. She sort of does her own thing and refuses to bend to what is popular. It makes her a good foil to the constantly dancing, bubbly Eva.
As for Eva, I really disliked her throughout most of the story, but I believe that you're not really supposed to like her. She comes across as shallow and extraordinarily petty when she doesn't get her way. The levels she goes to to get revenge against Sophia are insane. I did find bits unrealistic, but I was able to suspend disbelief.
The only real issue that I had with this book is the way in which the story is told. The book alternates between narrative chapters, text messages, emails, and police interviews. The narrative portions also bounce between past and present. This, in my opinion, makes the reading a bit confusing, particularly in the beginning before we really know what's going on. I personally could've done without the emails, text messages, and interviews.
All in all, it was an enjoyable young adult mystery that would certainly be suited to pre-teens and teens. It was fun imagining the life of a social media star and how the world around her would treat her.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Bullying, Murder, and Sexual assault