onemamareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Racism, and Murder
pointeshoebookworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Mental illness
Moderate: Medical content, Racism, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Murder, and Death
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Confinement, Classism, Child death, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Torture, Murder, Death, Vomit, Abandonment, Addiction, Stalking, Gun violence, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Medical content, Drug abuse, Cursing, Police brutality, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
cass_lit's review against another edition
3.5
- The haunted house. I love a haunted house. Especially when the twist is something like this (and I really wasn’t expecting it here!). I was scared, which means it did its job.
- The underlying critiques and commentary on gentrification and the “war on drugs.” There was some really great parallels, although they weren’t as explored as I would have liked (more on that in a few).
- The happy ending that two (🥲) of our characters got.
- I get that our narrator is a teenager, but the evil step family plot had me so annoyed. Maybe it’s because I’m from a blended character, but it seemed pretty obvious from the very first intro to her (and later brought up) that Piper’s dramatics are coming from a sad, scared 10-year old who is mourning her old life (and her grandma) and having to do it all alone while it seems like her dad has her stepmom and her step siblings have each other. I was so sad for her basically the entire book.
- While I hated the weaponization of Marigold’s past against her and I am generally pro-weed personally, I get where the adults’ concern for a 16-year old who has struggled with stronger drug addiction comes from. And again, I know she’s a teenager, but she was getting kinda woe is me there for a bit.
- The END. It just ENDS. There was literally so much left unsaid and undone? I don’t know what’s happening to everyone else. I don’t know what’s happening to the town. I would love for the issues with the mob boss family to have been spread far and wide, and for the issue to be fully addressed to the world. I don’t even know if I know what happened to our unsung hero? Which is cool if there’s a sequel planned (I haven’t seen anything about one), but a lot of it could’ve just been wrapped up with a nice epilogue.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Murder
lovealwaysadi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Drug use, Gore, Addiction, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Body horror, and Classism
Moderate: Hate crime, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Confinement, Alcohol, Excrement, Racism, and Grief
whatiqreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Drug abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Violence, Racism, and Panic attacks/disorders
thatenbyisisreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Drug use, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Child death
solenekeleroux's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Blood, Gaslighting, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, and Racism
Moderate: Murder, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Confinement, and Body horror
bookish_ann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Colonisation, Classism, Child death, Violence, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Addiction, Murder, Drug abuse, Religious bigotry, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Fire/Fire injury
blackcatkai's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
CW: addiction, mental illness, anxiety/panic attacks, ableism (casual and otherwise, use of words like st*pid & j*nkie), drug use mentioned, blood, violence, death, classism
I really liked this one, the ending twist is one of my favourites, and I really liked Mari as a character. a lot of this book reminded me of growing up just outside Detroit, with the mentions of things like coney dogs, devils night, and pop. makes me miss my hometown just a smidge. honestly, my only real issue is how abrupt the ending feels. but overall I'd definitely recommend this one for the spooky season!
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Murder, Addiction, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, and Ableism
Moderate: Drug use and Drug abuse
Minor: Gun violence and Medical content