Review by MajoAlvarez_ -- Like My Mother Before Me
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MajoAlvarez_
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- Latest Review: Like My Mother Before Me by Naley Gonzalez
Review by MajoAlvarez_ -- Like My Mother Before Me
[Following is a volunteer review of "Like My Mother Before Me" by Naley Gonzalez.]
Naley Gonzalez gracefully creates a story based on Latin American traditions and an undeniable force of love and family with Like My Mother Before Me. Alizé Salvas, a young sophomore whose interests are playing volleyball, hanging out with her friends, and occasionally getting into trouble, suffers a drastic change in her life when she realizes that she can see dead people, have visions from the past and the future and experience astral projections. A series of events leads her to know that these are hereditary gifts from her mother, who passed away when she was little. Along with her mother Veronica, her godmother Zoraida, her brother Ezra and her friends Estelle and Martín, she will try to figure it out how to manage her new abilities to use them against a dark force that is trying to damage her and her family.
The way Naley keeps you reading throughout the story of Alizé is impeccable. You can see through the well redacted events how she informed herself on traditional rituals, spirituality, mental illnesses and, as unnecessary it might seem, how to be a teenager. You feel every emotion Alizé experiences, like the dread, anguish, and frustration of not knowing what is happening to her; the fear and excitement of meeting her first love, or the irritation of dealing with her dad´s new girlfriend. The story takes an unexpected but gratifying turn after a docket of thrilling experiences, leading to a final that leaves a lump in the base of your throat.
On the negative side, I would like to bring up the need of a trigger warning in the chapter 26 (mention of sexual assault and attempt of rape) and the chapter 30 (mention of suicidal thoughts and attempt of self-harm).
I´m happy to give Like My Mother Before Me by Naley Gonzalez a score of 4 out of 4 stars. Even though some of the initial circumstances felt redundant, inherently delaying the climax of the story, she keeps the interest on them. Plus, the final chapters will leave you mesmerized.
Although this book is for a young adult audience, I can see some adults enjoying it too. Naley achieves to create a unique story, giving an opportunity to live an experience full of suspense and thrill with glimpses of love, hope and family values. At the end of the book, you are left with a feeling that no matter how tough and strenuous the circumstances are, you will always have your family (either by blood or chosen).
******
Like My Mother Before Me
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Naley Gonzalez gracefully creates a story based on Latin American traditions and an undeniable force of love and family with Like My Mother Before Me. Alizé Salvas, a young sophomore whose interests are playing volleyball, hanging out with her friends, and occasionally getting into trouble, suffers a drastic change in her life when she realizes that she can see dead people, have visions from the past and the future and experience astral projections. A series of events leads her to know that these are hereditary gifts from her mother, who passed away when she was little. Along with her mother Veronica, her godmother Zoraida, her brother Ezra and her friends Estelle and Martín, she will try to figure it out how to manage her new abilities to use them against a dark force that is trying to damage her and her family.
The way Naley keeps you reading throughout the story of Alizé is impeccable. You can see through the well redacted events how she informed herself on traditional rituals, spirituality, mental illnesses and, as unnecessary it might seem, how to be a teenager. You feel every emotion Alizé experiences, like the dread, anguish, and frustration of not knowing what is happening to her; the fear and excitement of meeting her first love, or the irritation of dealing with her dad´s new girlfriend. The story takes an unexpected but gratifying turn after a docket of thrilling experiences, leading to a final that leaves a lump in the base of your throat.
On the negative side, I would like to bring up the need of a trigger warning in the chapter 26 (mention of sexual assault and attempt of rape) and the chapter 30 (mention of suicidal thoughts and attempt of self-harm).
I´m happy to give Like My Mother Before Me by Naley Gonzalez a score of 4 out of 4 stars. Even though some of the initial circumstances felt redundant, inherently delaying the climax of the story, she keeps the interest on them. Plus, the final chapters will leave you mesmerized.
Although this book is for a young adult audience, I can see some adults enjoying it too. Naley achieves to create a unique story, giving an opportunity to live an experience full of suspense and thrill with glimpses of love, hope and family values. At the end of the book, you are left with a feeling that no matter how tough and strenuous the circumstances are, you will always have your family (either by blood or chosen).
******
Like My Mother Before Me
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Like My Mother Before Me by Naley Gonzalez
