Review by marba -- Like My Mother Before Me

[marta baglioni]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Like My Mother Before Me" by Naley Gonzalez.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Like my mother before me, by Naley Gonzalez, is a paranormal YA that follows the story of Alizé and her family.

After the death of her mother in a car accident, Alizé lives with her father and her brother Ezra in Oxnard, California. She spends her days with her dear friend Estelle, ditching school and getting high, not minding much but her great passion: volleyball, with which she plans to achieve her university admission.
The balances of her life are disrupted when Alizé sees what seems to be a ghost in her father's office: is she losing her mind?

This book pleasingly surprised me. I was prepared to face a cliché after the other about adolescence and the “special girl” trope, so dear to YA writers, but the author proved me wrong. While the main plot points are focused on the supernatural element, it appears they are being used as a means of addressing more sensitive issues, like sexual violence, abusive relationships, the importance of a family, not necessarily the one in which we are born, and loss.

I loved the characters (Ezra is a keeper) and their portraying: they're complete, well-rounded and felt so real. We first meet Alizé as a childish girl, self-absorbed and irresponsible, but throughout the story she has a remarkable character growth, which must be acknowledged.
In addition, I genuinely appreciated the exploration of Latin culture and Santeria (although this just mentioned), in relation to the Dia de los Muertos.

Romance is present, but not forced, and, most importantly, it's not the principal element of the plot (Halleluja!) , although it will cause our protagonist some problems.

Naley Gonzalez possesses a vivid imagination, reflected in her writing style, clear and vivacious, with a high descriptive capacity. As the reading continues, the rhythm becomes increasingly intense: the last chapters left me with bated breath.

I didn’t find any particular negative features, apart from editing, which perhaps would have required a little more attention in a few points (e.g. some lines of dialogue are repeated in a different context: looks like a copy and paste); but nothing, with the exception of the example mentioned, that might disturb the reading.

My rating for this novel is then: 4 out of 4 stars.

I would recommend it to those who love a good fantasy YA with a twist, deep and non-obvious, and are initiating themselves in more mature readings.
I am definitely purchasing a physical copy of this book!

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Like My Mother Before Me
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes

[Mbrooks2518]

This seems like a book that I would definitely enjoy. Thanks for your great review!

[marta baglioni]

This seems like a book that I would definitely enjoy. Thanks for your great review!

Thank you so much! Hope you like it

[Ldpuff]

This book sounds interesting. I do like more romance in the YA books that I read. Dia de los Muertos has always been intriguing to me, so I like the idea of it being connected to the plot of this story. Nice review!

[marta baglioni]

This book sounds interesting. I do like more romance in the YA books that I read. Dia de los Muertos has always been intriguing to me, so I like the idea of it being connected to the plot of this story. Nice review!

I usually like romance, but I prefer when it is not the central topic of the plot. Thank you for stopping by

[Emily_Jen]

"The balance of her life is disrupted when Alizé sees what seems to be a ghost in her father's office: is she losing her mind?" This question alone has piqued my interest in this book. I look forward to finding answers. Thanks for the review.

[Kavita Shah]

It sounds like a different YA and the cover points towards the scary part too. The sensitive topics make it stand apart from the normal teen stories. Thanks for a nice review!

[smolbird]

I appreciate that the romance aspect of the book isn't forced and it doesn't sound like it's "insta-love" like so many other YA novels. Thank you for the great review!

[NISSE]

It seems like you have really enjoyed this horror story. Thank you for the detailed review!

[marta baglioni]

It seems like you have really enjoyed this horror story. Thank you for the detailed review!

I did! Thank you for reading it

[marta baglioni]

I appreciate that the romance aspect of the book isn't forced and it doesn't sound like it's "insta-love" like so many other YA novels. Thank you for the great review!

Thank you! I appreciate it, from a fellow Potterhead

[Rayah Raouf]

Love it when the romance is not forced. I also have a guilty pleasure when it comes to reading YA books. This does sound like something I would pick up. Thank you for the review

[Ngozi Onyibor]

It's refreshing to know that the book has depth. Good character growth always makes for a great read. Nice review.

[kandscreeley]

I'm glad this isn't just the same ole same ole. I love the young adult genre. It's my favorite. I'll check this out. Thanks.

[Medhansh Bhardwaj]

The isn't some generic teen story. This one is unique. I like the author's writing and character-development style. Thanks for the great review!