alifromkc1907's review against another edition
3.0
Gut Instinct Rating: 2.5
Characters: 3.75
Believability: 3
Uniqueness: 5
Writing Style: 3
Excitement Factor: 3
Story Line: 5
Title Relevance: 3
Artwork Relevance: 4
Overall: 3.58
Characters: 3.75
Believability: 3
Uniqueness: 5
Writing Style: 3
Excitement Factor: 3
Story Line: 5
Title Relevance: 3
Artwork Relevance: 4
Overall: 3.58
rtaylor1's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
abisgard's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. I really like reading from the two perspectives. I think the author did a good job balancing the melodrama with the mystery. I actually liked the melodrama and character stuff in this book. The mystery also was captivating. Because of the focus on both melodrama and mystery, I think what we buried could be compared to we were liars. Although, I liked the characters in what we buried better. I would just know that this book has a decent amount of melodrama before reading it. I have heard people compare this to the twilight zone which I would agree with. It is very spooky and unsettling at times. Overall, a good read.
(Also, the audiobook is great)
(Also, the audiobook is great)
alainaev's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sunshine169's review against another edition
3.0
"Told from the split viewpoints of Liv and Jory, Kate A. Boorman's What We Buried is a psychological thrill ride that deftly explores how memories can lie, how time can bend, and how reconciling the truth can be a matter of life or death."
Yup that pretty much sums this book up. I still have no real clue what happened to either Liv, Jory, or their parents. Going into this book I thought it would just be a family drama but there are most definitely something supernatural going on with the time loop the two siblings seem to be caught up in. I almost didn't read it because my TBR is ridiculously long but I am so so glad I did. I will be recommending this book to my teens who are looking for something different. I feel like I cannot go into too much detail because it can ruin the story. This one is best gone into with little information. I just wish I could wrap my head around that ending!
Thank you Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Yup that pretty much sums this book up. I still have no real clue what happened to either Liv, Jory, or their parents. Going into this book I thought it would just be a family drama but there are most definitely something supernatural going on with the time loop the two siblings seem to be caught up in. I almost didn't read it because my TBR is ridiculously long but I am so so glad I did. I will be recommending this book to my teens who are looking for something different. I feel like I cannot go into too much detail because it can ruin the story. This one is best gone into with little information. I just wish I could wrap my head around that ending!
Thank you Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
laurelinwonder's review against another edition
4.0
This YA novel reads like an adult novel. Why? Because it plays with linear/temporality plots, so it's kind of sophisticated the way in which it plays out. It took me a bit to see the pattern, but as I neared the end it was very satisfying to watch it all unfurl. Don't read too much into the synopsis, and if you don't like books where characters reflect, get lost, fight, dream, etc all while in a car on a trip seeming to go nowhere, this is not your book. If you are willing to suspend your disbelief, just wait to be surprised.
hibatheescapeartist's review against another edition
5.0
Wh-what did I just read? Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
I need a few minutes.
God, I’m going to throw up.
*10 minutes of staring blankly at the wall and contemplating my existence, the complex relationship between reality & time, and the state of my sanity later*
Have you ever wanted to cry from how scrambled your brains are after reading a mind-scramble of a book? My mind is numb. This is such a dense and intricate plot that my brain is struggling to fully process it, to process the ending and the freaking infinite endings within it. Wait. Wait. Wait.
Pause.
Can the world stop moving for just a second? God, I’m trying to think.
I cannot? I cannot process this book right now. Here is a random list of reasons to read What We Buried because my brain is a useless lump of putty that is currently unable to form full sentences:
-Amazing atmosphere, amazing setting (the deserts of Nevada)
-Not just one unreliable narrator, but two--yes, you can imagine how crazy you are going to feel while reading this
-My thoughts while reading this: What is happening? *cries* What is happening? Why is that happening? How is that happening? What?
-Will keep you guessing at every turn of a page--and long, long after you have finished it, as you can tell from my current state
-Deep, complex characters with dark pasts and major trauma
-A broken relationship between two siblings (warning: will make your heart clench)
-Horrible parents
-It’s messed up. The ending is literally So. Messed. Up.
-Will leave you numb
-Has some scary scenes that make you scared of the dark
-Very possible that you will not understand what you just read
-Ending has multiple interpretations, all of which will make you doubt your sanity
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
I need a few minutes.
God, I’m going to throw up.
*10 minutes of staring blankly at the wall and contemplating my existence, the complex relationship between reality & time, and the state of my sanity later*
Have you ever wanted to cry from how scrambled your brains are after reading a mind-scramble of a book? My mind is numb. This is such a dense and intricate plot that my brain is struggling to fully process it, to process the ending and the freaking infinite endings within it. Wait. Wait. Wait.
Pause.
Can the world stop moving for just a second? God, I’m trying to think.
I cannot? I cannot process this book right now. Here is a random list of reasons to read What We Buried because my brain is a useless lump of putty that is currently unable to form full sentences:
-Amazing atmosphere, amazing setting (the deserts of Nevada)
-Not just one unreliable narrator, but two--yes, you can imagine how crazy you are going to feel while reading this
-My thoughts while reading this: What is happening? *cries* What is happening? Why is that happening? How is that happening? What?
-Will keep you guessing at every turn of a page--and long, long after you have finished it, as you can tell from my current state
-Deep, complex characters with dark pasts and major trauma
-A broken relationship between two siblings (warning: will make your heart clench)
-Horrible parents
-It’s messed up. The ending is literally So. Messed. Up.
-Will leave you numb
-Has some scary scenes that make you scared of the dark
-Very possible that you will not understand what you just read
-Ending has multiple interpretations, all of which will make you doubt your sanity
pagesplotsandpints's review against another edition
4.0
Initial Impressions 4/20/19: 3.5 - 4 stars
Rounding this one up because it was quite addicting and book that I didn't want to put down! I loved how the book played with time and space and really made the readers question what was happening and what was possible. I kind of sort of felt the ending coming so I set myself up for the possibility, even if it wasn't quite what I really wanted. It was still quite interesting but I did wish for a little more creativity with how it ended (I mean, it was good but it's not like it was something I've never read before... that does happen with a lot of psychological thrillers, though. There's only so many places you can go for an OMG reaction). I'm definitely rounding up star-wise since I basically only have reading time on the weekends and I zipped through this book in a single day, which doesn't happen often with physical copy reads anymore. It was definitely enjoyable, great pacing, and I think a really good read for those who don't read a lot of psychological thrillers who may not be able to think ahead to or guess the ending.
Rounding this one up because it was quite addicting and book that I didn't want to put down! I loved how the book played with time and space and really made the readers question what was happening and what was possible. I kind of sort of felt the ending coming so I set myself up for the possibility, even if it wasn't quite what I really wanted. It was still quite interesting but I did wish for a little more creativity with how it ended (I mean, it was good but it's not like it was something I've never read before... that does happen with a lot of psychological thrillers, though. There's only so many places you can go for an OMG reaction). I'm definitely rounding up star-wise since I basically only have reading time on the weekends and I zipped through this book in a single day, which doesn't happen often with physical copy reads anymore. It was definitely enjoyable, great pacing, and I think a really good read for those who don't read a lot of psychological thrillers who may not be able to think ahead to or guess the ending.