Reviews with content warning for Grief - Elatsoe

I will say. I went into this blind, and was expecting something a lot more compelling.

This book is okay; it's fine. Nothing I would rave about, but something I would casually recommend.
I'm not sure if it's just me, but this felt like a middle school read rather than young adult? I don't know why, but I keep imagining the MC as like.. 12-14 years old. (Actually, I think this book could've been better if it had been a MG haha!)

I was a huge fan of the concept, but not the plot. I don't care about vampires or cults or anything else. I wanted so bad to read more about Elatsoe's gift and the Lipan Apaches. I found it so much more interesting than the murder mystery that was happening in the foreground.

However, I'm always rooting for representation as an asexual native myself LOL !
Would def recommend to a younger audience. Nice little murder mystery with fantasy elements.

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katrinky's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

3.5

good mystery, but got a little muddled sometimes (are they leeches? or vampires? or just magic evil humans?) and I didn't find the characters to be very deeply-drawn. I recommend it for YA fans, mystery fans, thriller fans, and anyone into vampire/mythical lore. and HIGHLY recommend for anyone looking to read more Native authors and see more Native protagonists.

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razzberry_pi's review

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adventurous funny mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Amazing story weaving mystery, ghosts, animals, and magic into a world of ancestral traditions of magic. Shows the use of magic for both good and evil and how it could be used to mirror inequalities that exist in our world.

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bluejayreads's review against another edition

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3.75

I very nearly DNF'd this one, because the main murder mystery plot just didn't vibe with me. Ellie's magic with ghosts means that her murdered cousin straight-up told her who killed him, and the mystery part was actually about finding why and how in a manner that law enforcement would accept. And I just didn't find it that interesting. However, then I realized that I did find everything else in this story interesting. The world of monsters and magic - fae magic, Indigenous magic, vampires, all sorts of stuff - along with the modern world was well-crafted and fascinating. I loved how it was the modern world just a little askew because, you know, magic. I loved learning about the Ellie's Lipan Apache traditions and magic, I loved having a protagonist who was explicitly aro/ace without it being a big deal, I even really enjoyed Ellie's relationship with her best friend Jay. And the murder mystery part did end up having a solid climax (although I'll be honest, I saw the big twist from a mile away). On the whole, I'm glad I finished reading it, because even though parts of it didn't do it for me personally, there's a lot to love in this book.

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