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aprivateislander's reviews
420 reviews
Five Little Indians by Michelle Good
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A sober tale of what happened to a group of native Canadians in the years following their time at residential schools. The long-term effects of trauma on themselves and those around them. It's not really about the schools themselves but how it broke them and caused lifetimes of suffering and struggle and surviving.
White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
A gentrification ghost story!
Mari and her newly blended family move to a new home that feels less than welcoming. A spooky ghost story that's about the struggles of step families, addiction, mental health, and somehow the drug war? It got a little tedious with how many issues it was trying to tackle at once, felt more like a checklist at points and sort of felt very special episode of the week. But I enjoyed the main story and found it compelling and suitably spooky.
Mari and her newly blended family move to a new home that feels less than welcoming. A spooky ghost story that's about the struggles of step families, addiction, mental health, and somehow the drug war? It got a little tedious with how many issues it was trying to tackle at once, felt more like a checklist at points and sort of felt very special episode of the week. But I enjoyed the main story and found it compelling and suitably spooky.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
adventurous
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? It's complicated
3.5
Once again, this series shines with its stakes. In so many YA books nothing feels particularly risky, but in this series you really get the sense that everything can and will fall apart at any minute.
That said, I did not enjoy this one and didn't find it as captivating as the first. I will continue with the series.
That said, I did not enjoy this one and didn't find it as captivating as the first. I will continue with the series.