Reviews

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares by Tehlor Kay Mejia

madisoncarrasco's review against another edition

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5.0

Wonderful, captivating sequel. I can’t wait until my Mexican American children are old enough to read this series with me and see themselves in Paola and Dante. I love how effortlessly Mexican culture is woven into this series and can’t wait for the next installment!

manal_osmally's review against another edition

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2.0

Truth to be told, I am struggling here

I wanna see I generally like this installment of the Series, but I am really struggling with the concept as of now....

See When they came back from the rift, I thought that was it and i was ready to call it a day with this series, but the thing is i felt like this book is spinning in circles, like to was supposed to be longer but it was cut short..

I like the story line and i really hope that the 3rd book can bring this story to rest because there's a lot of doors that currently are wide open without a proper reason.

bookbragger's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative mysterious tense 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

5.0

alliereads's review against another edition

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4.0

4.25 stars
This was a great sequel to the series. I was so excited to read about this group of kids. I love Pao so much. I love reading about the folklore and myths that I wasn’t raised with. I have to look up way more words but I can’t wait to add this to my bookshelf in the middle school office.

antoinettepowb's review

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4.0

Whew! Paola went through a lot in book 2!! From barely talking to Dante and Emma, to her mom's new annoying boyfriend to her nightmares coming back worse and full of her estranged father. As weird as it is to say, I enjoyed watching Paola struggle with her friendships; it shows miscommunication happens at any age. My favorite folklore in this book is Estrella, a duendecillo, who helps Paola and her friends in the forest. This was a great story about learning to embrace all the parts that make you an individual, even if you are unsure about who you want to become. Just what middle school students need!
Thanks NetGalley!

cecireda's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5

I felt like this one was trying to create a different storyline from the first, and create a storyline for the next book at the same time, and it got a little lost between them.

palmkd's review against another edition

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4.0

The second book in the Paola Santiago story raises questions about heroes as well as being yourself.
It's a solid continuation of the series full of Mexican Mythology and the struggles of growing up and figuring out how you fit in and manage change.
If you haven't read the first book yet, do start there!
Strongly recommend!

jenn_the_unicorn's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

victor_calixto's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

sydneyraereads's review against another edition

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slow-paced

2.0

Since coming back from the void, life has been challenging for Paola Santiago. She feels isolated from her two best friends and her mother seems like an entirely different person. The dreams she is having about her father seem to offer a place of belonging. What will she have to pay for it?

I actively disliked this book. There is too much of the beginning focused on the first book in the series and this took away from setting the scene for the new conflict. The pacing was incredibly slow and there was no driving force to speak of. I stayed completely disengaged the entire time I was reading. This 3rd person limited perspective felt like "telling" and not "showing" anything about the characters, action, or plot. I was incredibly bored throughout.

Additionally, the foreshadowing and suspense elements were plain annoying rather than creating interest. I have lost the excitement about reading the third book, but will read it for the sake of finishing the books I own.