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raethereviewer's Reviews (864)
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
I found books 1-5 at a little free library and decided to check it out. I didn’t read much manga growing up but it’s always seemed interesting to me. I ending up finishing this the same day I start it. Super fast paced and really interesting!
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
Trigger Warnings: Death of a parent, hospitals, reference to child abuse
Representation: Chronic illness (more specifically Type 1 Diabetes), Cuban main characters + Cuban culture
This story was absolutely AMAZING! I love how hilarious it is and it definitely deserves to be under the Rick Riordan imprint because fans of Percy Jackson will LOVE Sal and Gabi.
As someone who has always been a science nerd with an interest in alternate realities, the way Carlos Hernandez approaches this concept is so cool. It's told in a way that's accessible for children but also leaves room for kids to explore the topic more. A lot of tough issues are addressed throughout the story but they're tackled with humor and told in a way that garners empathy for the characters. There isn't a villain and these kids are facing a lot of the challenges that life can throw at you.
The characters were wonderful! I love Sal so much. He's really complicated in a believable way. I loved his relationship with his parents and how this story had a really nice take on blended families. It was great seeing the "American stepmom" as a positive figure in Sal's life and someone he loves and cares about.
Gabi was definitely my favorite. I see so much of my younger self (and let's be honest, my current self, too) in her. The way she cares about others was so sweet and it was nice seeing a character who's both driven and empathetic because we often only see someone who's one or the other when these characteristics aren't mutually exclusive.
All in all, I truly love this book. It was so much fun and now I want to get a hundred copies for my cousins.
Representation: Chronic illness (more specifically Type 1 Diabetes), Cuban main characters + Cuban culture
This story was absolutely AMAZING! I love how hilarious it is and it definitely deserves to be under the Rick Riordan imprint because fans of Percy Jackson will LOVE Sal and Gabi.
As someone who has always been a science nerd with an interest in alternate realities, the way Carlos Hernandez approaches this concept is so cool. It's told in a way that's accessible for children but also leaves room for kids to explore the topic more. A lot of tough issues are addressed throughout the story but they're tackled with humor and told in a way that garners empathy for the characters. There isn't a villain and these kids are facing a lot of the challenges that life can throw at you.
The characters were wonderful! I love Sal so much. He's really complicated in a believable way. I loved his relationship with his parents and how this story had a really nice take on blended families. It was great seeing the "American stepmom" as a positive figure in Sal's life and someone he loves and cares about.
Gabi was definitely my favorite. I see so much of my younger self (and let's be honest, my current self, too) in her. The way she cares about others was so sweet and it was nice seeing a character who's both driven and empathetic because we often only see someone who's one or the other when these characteristics aren't mutually exclusive.
All in all, I truly love this book. It was so much fun and now I want to get a hundred copies for my cousins.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is definitely more plot driven than character driven and it would be great for kids who like darker action stories. The story has a lot of elements to it and the fantasy aspect is interesting. I wasn’t personally a fan of the ending because it felt a little rushed but this is a book for younger audiences so I’m sure they’d still enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read this for my YA class. I remember it being super popular when I was younger but never reading it back then. Overall pretty interesting concept and really progressive for a book from 2012. There was some fat phobia in one chapter though.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
I read this for my creative writing class and really enjoyed it. The essays were interesting and I liked the writing style.
informative
reflective
Read this for my creative writing course and really enjoyed the layering.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just finished this at 2 am and I am distraught! I need the sequel ASAP.
I haven’t read a fantasy novel in over 5 years so I decided to try this one to get me back into the genre and I’m so happy I did! The world building was exquisite. The characters are super diverse and I love how each realm has its own cultural practices. This was such a cool book and I absolutely love Tarisai.
I haven’t read a fantasy novel in over 5 years so I decided to try this one to get me back into the genre and I’m so happy I did! The world building was exquisite. The characters are super diverse and I love how each realm has its own cultural practices. This was such a cool book and I absolutely love Tarisai.
dark
tense
I read this for my YA class and this was definitely... something. You can definitely tell it’s written by a man just through the sheer number of “her breast” descriptions every time these boys see a girl. These dudes were all high key weirdos. Two of them were sadists and the others just kind of dealt with it. I don’t even know what else to say. I guess I get why it was popular at the time but this is so weird to read in 2021.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was so cute! I feel like this would be especially great for younger YA readers, like ages 12 to 15.
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a beautiful story, I absolutely loved it! The imagery was wonderful and I think this book would work really well in a classroom setting, especially for a unit on poetry.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault