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bookishevy's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.5
This book had me fighting the air.
16-year-old Yolando Alvarez has a good thing going at Julia de Burgos High in South Bronx. She's popular, has her best friend Victory, a possible romance with star athlete Jose, and is about to be initiated into her family's bruja tradition. When Ben Hill, the white son of a politician, is transferred to their school under mysterious circumstances, he doesn't pass the vibe check. Yo's initiation begins when she starts receiving visions of Ben's violent nature. How can she prevent Ben from doing the unthinkable?
Thoughts while reading: Yo is Black Dominican, deaf, queer and unapologetically outspoken against racial and social injustice, so why is she putting up with Ben's not-so-micro aggressions? Why does she keep giving Ben the benefit of the doubt despite her visions? Does Yo believe she can change Ben? Black women have a habit of wanting to be everything to everyone. Stop! Especially when it comes to people who are committed to othering us.
Ben's liberal father knows he hates BIPOC and instead of getting him professional help, he dumps him in South Bronx, putting more people of color in danger because he has his own agenda. A proper example of how self-serving and dangerous some liberals can be.
Avila gives us an insightful heroine who wants to save her community but struggles to put her trust in a system not meant to protect people who look like her. A system that enables parents like Mr. Hill to coddle and make excuses for their sons who are clearly a threat. This story is another example of how it's always up to BIPOC to do the work of sussing out dangerous people who should not have had access to us in the first place.
It's a slow burn, but I think it's important for the reader to experience Yo's dilemma of being the only one who sees what Ben is up to and how, wih her spiritual guide and the support of her loved ones, Yo has to figure out how to reveal Ben's intentions without outing herself as a witch, which still carries negative connotations.
16-year-old Yolando Alvarez has a good thing going at Julia de Burgos High in South Bronx. She's popular, has her best friend Victory, a possible romance with star athlete Jose, and is about to be initiated into her family's bruja tradition. When Ben Hill, the white son of a politician, is transferred to their school under mysterious circumstances, he doesn't pass the vibe check. Yo's initiation begins when she starts receiving visions of Ben's violent nature. How can she prevent Ben from doing the unthinkable?
Thoughts while reading: Yo is Black Dominican, deaf, queer and unapologetically outspoken against racial and social injustice, so why is she putting up with Ben's not-so-micro aggressions? Why does she keep giving Ben the benefit of the doubt despite her visions? Does Yo believe she can change Ben? Black women have a habit of wanting to be everything to everyone. Stop! Especially when it comes to people who are committed to othering us.
Ben's liberal father knows he hates BIPOC and instead of getting him professional help, he dumps him in South Bronx, putting more people of color in danger because he has his own agenda. A proper example of how self-serving and dangerous some liberals can be.
Avila gives us an insightful heroine who wants to save her community but struggles to put her trust in a system not meant to protect people who look like her. A system that enables parents like Mr. Hill to coddle and make excuses for their sons who are clearly a threat. This story is another example of how it's always up to BIPOC to do the work of sussing out dangerous people who should not have had access to us in the first place.
It's a slow burn, but I think it's important for the reader to experience Yo's dilemma of being the only one who sees what Ben is up to and how, wih her spiritual guide and the support of her loved ones, Yo has to figure out how to reveal Ben's intentions without outing herself as a witch, which still carries negative connotations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism
ncq's review
dark
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, and Classism
Minor: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
caseythereader's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Ableism
clarissaruthless's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
4.0
Timely and powerful, and overall a great debut. Occasionally the phrasing seemed a little rough and took me out of it, but the story itself is wonderful. The beliefs and practices observed by Yolanda and her family are treated with respect and reverence. The characters are well developed, their relationships ring true, and the setting comes alive. I could have done without the inclusion of COVID towards the end - it didn't seem to really affect the plot line and felt like it had been added last minute. The discussion of white supremacy and school shootings is difficult and may hit too close to home for some readers, but it's important to address these issues, especially now, especially with a YA audience who are all too familiar with the threats.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Xenophobia
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
There is a lot that happens in this book, that's packed with a lot of relevant social topics that are worth exploring! At times, though, it felt like a little too much and that the story went on for a little longer than it needed to. I was also a bit thrown off by the incorporation of COVID at the end, and I do wish there would have been a little more warning about that becuase I still think it's too soon.
But I digress! The premise of this book is lovely, even if it wasn't quite as fantasy-esque as I expected. The topics are hard hitting, and it is overall well-written; a different editor might have taken out some of the more unncessary plotlines.
All in all, I really wanted to like this one more than I actually did. But this will definitely be an author to watch in the future!
But I digress! The premise of this book is lovely, even if it wasn't quite as fantasy-esque as I expected. The topics are hard hitting, and it is overall well-written; a different editor might have taken out some of the more unncessary plotlines.
All in all, I really wanted to like this one more than I actually did. But this will definitely be an author to watch in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
flowerpetals's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Grief, and Medical trauma
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
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