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They Thought They Buried Us
Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is… unsettling.
Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school’s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It’ll take all Yuiza’s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady’s grasp.
As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is… unsettling.
Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school’s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It’ll take all Yuiza’s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady’s grasp.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
11 people are currently reading
632 people want to read
About the author
NoNieqa Ramos
11 books167 followersNoNieqa Ramos is an educator and writer of picture books and young adult literature.
Their debut picture book YOUR MAMA illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara earned starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Kirkus. The Virginia Center for the Book selected YOUR MAMA as Virginia’s GREAT READ for 2021 highlighted by the Library of Congress’ Center for the Book at the National Book Festival. YOUr MAMA was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, a School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2021, a Kirkus Best Picture Book of the 2021, and a National Council of English Books Notable Poetry Book.
They wrote THE DISTURBED GIRL’S DICTIONARY, a 2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens, a 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection, and a 2019 In the Margins Award Top Ten pick. It earned starred reviews from Booklist, Voya, and Foreword.
Lilliam Rivera, author of DEALING in DREAMS, selected their sophomore YA novel THE TRUTH IS as a Bustle Book Club selection. Hip Latina included TTI in the “10 of the Best Latinx Young Adult Books of 2019.” Remezcla included TTI in the “15 Best Books by Latino and Latin American Authors of 2019.”
Lerner books released their picture book HAIR STORY illustrated by Keisha Morris, October 15th, 2021. Versify will publish BEAUTY WOKE illustrated by Paola Escobar, February 15th, 2022. NoNieqa is a proud member of Las Musas Books collective and the Soaring 20s PB debut group.
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Their debut picture book YOUR MAMA illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara earned starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Kirkus. The Virginia Center for the Book selected YOUR MAMA as Virginia’s GREAT READ for 2021 highlighted by the Library of Congress’ Center for the Book at the National Book Festival. YOUr MAMA was a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, a School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2021, a Kirkus Best Picture Book of the 2021, and a National Council of English Books Notable Poetry Book.
They wrote THE DISTURBED GIRL’S DICTIONARY, a 2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens, a 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection, and a 2019 In the Margins Award Top Ten pick. It earned starred reviews from Booklist, Voya, and Foreword.
Lilliam Rivera, author of DEALING in DREAMS, selected their sophomore YA novel THE TRUTH IS as a Bustle Book Club selection. Hip Latina included TTI in the “10 of the Best Latinx Young Adult Books of 2019.” Remezcla included TTI in the “15 Best Books by Latino and Latin American Authors of 2019.”
Lerner books released their picture book HAIR STORY illustrated by Keisha Morris, October 15th, 2021. Versify will publish BEAUTY WOKE illustrated by Paola Escobar, February 15th, 2022. NoNieqa is a proud member of Las Musas Books collective and the Soaring 20s PB debut group.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
October 7, 2024
This is just a perfect, brilliant, funny, horrific, fast-paced, historically-informed Jordan Peele movie of a book. I read it in one night.
Yuiza (she/her, they/them) is accepted to a fancy boarding school (they don't want to go) on scholarship. They are heartbroken at being separated from their close besties and their precariously functional family. But the situation turns out to be worse than they thought. Por supuesto.
Echoes of Indian boarding schools; company store situations; indenture... generational trauma unpeels itself from the past all through this book, and Yuiza calls upon generational strengths to try to survive a system designed to destroy them (ambiguous pronoun antecedent intended). One of my favorite bits is the voice of Tia Hustler, who assigns fines for microagressions in Yuiza's head.
I have been accused of having a soft spot for an injustice narrative, but come on, who doesn't? And this one is such a ride.
Yuiza (she/her, they/them) is accepted to a fancy boarding school (they don't want to go) on scholarship. They are heartbroken at being separated from their close besties and their precariously functional family. But the situation turns out to be worse than they thought. Por supuesto.
Echoes of Indian boarding schools; company store situations; indenture... generational trauma unpeels itself from the past all through this book, and Yuiza calls upon generational strengths to try to survive a system designed to destroy them (ambiguous pronoun antecedent intended). One of my favorite bits is the voice of Tia Hustler, who assigns fines for microagressions in Yuiza's head.
I have been accused of having a soft spot for an injustice narrative, but come on, who doesn't? And this one is such a ride.
May 11, 2024
Well, I just DNF'ed my first ARC..... don't judge me it was boring
September 1, 2024
I am a sucker for books at boarding schools, as you know, and here is another one, but it is unlike anything else I’ve ever read. Like The Art Thieves, I can’t tell you very much, but I can share that Yuiza, one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, knows something is wrong, but it is even worse than she can imagine. The story is full of trauma and gaslighting and mystery and questioning and definitely an analogy for our society. (You know this book got me because I kept having to tell my sister about what was happening because it was blowing my mind.)
December 30, 2024
3.85 ✨✨✨✨
Thank you to NetGalley for this title. This title has been “pending” on NetGalley for some time, and as books go, you tend to forget, but I’m glad to be given the chance to read this YA novel. “The system is rigged.” (Well) that’s the impression I got after the 45% point. The story is about Yuiza, who has been accepted to Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, a prestigious female boarding school. She will be one of the few black and brown students accepted.
What I gathered (initially) is that the school was purposefully seeking out black and brown minorities whose families were experiencing some hardship (financial or otherwise). Before I got to the end, I thought the school was also intentionally seeking out these students to bury them further in debt (even though they all received scholarships). Let’s also point out that all the work-study students are black and brown people.
The school has the students working in various positions (i.e., custodians, cooks, cashiers, and tending the grounds). Oh, and let's not forget ...maintenance of the elevator system??!!!… How would a teenager know how to maintain this…WTF. Of course, the pay is less than a reasonable wage to send this money back to their families, thus burying them deeper into a system of control. (Where have we seen this) So …” the system is rigged.”
This is new-aged slavery for these ladies within a system in which you can never get ahead. How can you expect someone to win when you keep moving the finish line? I found this YA story compelling, and it’s hard not to align it with our current climate. We are constantly to be in service …to be of service.
As I got to the end, I realized something wasn’t right. The school's history has a deeper, darker secret it's been harboring over the years, and now the book title makes so much sense. It’s literal.
The story's conclusion fell flat for me with three alternative endings, leaving the reader to come up with their own conclusion. What I liked from the author are the questions at the end of the story, which has the reader going back to review this for cultural and social norms.
Overall, it’s a great story about friendship, trust, family, and the perseverance of our ancestors and how they survived their circumstances with little to no resources and provided for their families.
Thank you to NetGalley for this title. This title has been “pending” on NetGalley for some time, and as books go, you tend to forget, but I’m glad to be given the chance to read this YA novel. “The system is rigged.” (Well) that’s the impression I got after the 45% point. The story is about Yuiza, who has been accepted to Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, a prestigious female boarding school. She will be one of the few black and brown students accepted.
What I gathered (initially) is that the school was purposefully seeking out black and brown minorities whose families were experiencing some hardship (financial or otherwise). Before I got to the end, I thought the school was also intentionally seeking out these students to bury them further in debt (even though they all received scholarships). Let’s also point out that all the work-study students are black and brown people.
The school has the students working in various positions (i.e., custodians, cooks, cashiers, and tending the grounds). Oh, and let's not forget ...maintenance of the elevator system??!!!… How would a teenager know how to maintain this…WTF. Of course, the pay is less than a reasonable wage to send this money back to their families, thus burying them deeper into a system of control. (Where have we seen this) So …” the system is rigged.”
This is new-aged slavery for these ladies within a system in which you can never get ahead. How can you expect someone to win when you keep moving the finish line? I found this YA story compelling, and it’s hard not to align it with our current climate. We are constantly to be in service …to be of service.
As I got to the end, I realized something wasn’t right. The school's history has a deeper, darker secret it's been harboring over the years, and now the book title makes so much sense. It’s literal.
The story's conclusion fell flat for me with three alternative endings, leaving the reader to come up with their own conclusion. What I liked from the author are the questions at the end of the story, which has the reader going back to review this for cultural and social norms.
Overall, it’s a great story about friendship, trust, family, and the perseverance of our ancestors and how they survived their circumstances with little to no resources and provided for their families.
April 11, 2025
Accomplishes the difficult task of living up to the Jordan Peele comparisons it openly asks you to draw. Reading this does feel like watching Get Out.
It made me tenser than horror novels usually do. The palpable stress is obvious from the start but still manages to build and build. I couldn’t put it down. It’s not cheap scares either, as there’s a lot of social commentary as well as general literary depth to analyze. Symbols and motifs abound.
The problem is that the author doesn’t trust you to notice, so it explicitly states the significance of pretty much everything, as well as how it all connects to real life. This is most glaring with the structure of the ending but present for the entire book.
I wish this had been written and published as a new adult book, with the characters at college instead of a boarding high school. I don’t think much of anything about the plot would have changed, but maybe then they would have left more up to the reader’s analysis.
It made me tenser than horror novels usually do. The palpable stress is obvious from the start but still manages to build and build. I couldn’t put it down. It’s not cheap scares either, as there’s a lot of social commentary as well as general literary depth to analyze. Symbols and motifs abound.
The problem is that the author doesn’t trust you to notice, so it explicitly states the significance of pretty much everything, as well as how it all connects to real life. This is most glaring with the structure of the ending but present for the entire book.
I wish this had been written and published as a new adult book, with the characters at college instead of a boarding high school. I don’t think much of anything about the plot would have changed, but maybe then they would have left more up to the reader’s analysis.
November 4, 2024
the alternative endings were ok, liked the story more.
May 28, 2024
I don’t do horror. I just don’t like to be disturbed by what is usually happening in horror stories. It is one of those things where you want to grab the protagonist and help them run away, before what ever happens, happens.
Yuiza, however, is fully aware that she is in the middle of a horror movie. She even has voiceovers from her tias and her friends, commenting on each of the details that are happening.
It all starts out normally, if it could ever be normal. Yaiza receives a scholarship to a prestigious pre-school, but is not told, until it is too late, that as a scholarship student, she has to do work-study to help pay her way. That she has to pay for her uniforms. That she has to pay to have a dorm room that is anything more than the bare minimum.
And the working students have labels on their uniforms that say what they do, but not who they are. The servers, the gardeners, everywhere she looks, they are all like zombies, forced to toe the line.
And that isn’t even getting into the fact that all students have to be chipped, so they can find them when they want to.
The frogs on the cover refer to a childhood song about healing through frogs. And Yuiza has to call on those frogs for help, as things get worse and worse.
The sad thing about this whole story is that this is actually going on today, in real life. Perhaps not with the chips, but the burden of work-study. The hardness of trying to fit into a school where you are the token minority. Racism is a horror unto itself.
There is a great line in the book that sums this up: “Victims weren’t hidden in walls and basements. They were heaped in plain sight. Perpetrators claimed racism didn’t exist even as they trampled over the bodies.”
And, if you do end up reading the book, which gives three different endings, I have a bad feeling that the most real of the endings is the first one.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. THis book is coming out the 10th of Sept. 2024
Yuiza, however, is fully aware that she is in the middle of a horror movie. She even has voiceovers from her tias and her friends, commenting on each of the details that are happening.
It all starts out normally, if it could ever be normal. Yaiza receives a scholarship to a prestigious pre-school, but is not told, until it is too late, that as a scholarship student, she has to do work-study to help pay her way. That she has to pay for her uniforms. That she has to pay to have a dorm room that is anything more than the bare minimum.
And the working students have labels on their uniforms that say what they do, but not who they are. The servers, the gardeners, everywhere she looks, they are all like zombies, forced to toe the line.
And that isn’t even getting into the fact that all students have to be chipped, so they can find them when they want to.
The frogs on the cover refer to a childhood song about healing through frogs. And Yuiza has to call on those frogs for help, as things get worse and worse.
The sad thing about this whole story is that this is actually going on today, in real life. Perhaps not with the chips, but the burden of work-study. The hardness of trying to fit into a school where you are the token minority. Racism is a horror unto itself.
There is a great line in the book that sums this up: “Victims weren’t hidden in walls and basements. They were heaped in plain sight. Perpetrators claimed racism didn’t exist even as they trampled over the bodies.”
And, if you do end up reading the book, which gives three different endings, I have a bad feeling that the most real of the endings is the first one.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. THis book is coming out the 10th of Sept. 2024
May 2, 2024
I think my primary issue with this book is how it read a lot like a first draft. Yuiza's inner monologue was often irritating and the pacing felt uneven and choppy, some characters and topics being established and then forgotten until they were of use again. I feel this way about the whole premise, about Yuiza and their love of horror movies, nothing is really explored beyond a base level. I'd be curious about Yuiza's relation with gender, about how the other work study/scholarship students feel, about Yuiza's relationships with her friend and on and on and on.
I did appreciate the ambiguous endings and the style of the book how it had callbacks to movie scripts, but I do wish that was stronger and Yuiza's connection to movies was elaborated on further. I think this whole story can be summarized in that it had potential and ideas that were all there, but they weren't meshed together, so it was more like eating a cake when the ingredients hadn't been mixed properly.
I did appreciate the ambiguous endings and the style of the book how it had callbacks to movie scripts, but I do wish that was stronger and Yuiza's connection to movies was elaborated on further. I think this whole story can be summarized in that it had potential and ideas that were all there, but they weren't meshed together, so it was more like eating a cake when the ingredients hadn't been mixed properly.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Lerner Publishing Group for the copy I received.
February 3, 2025
i loved the writing style and the scene tags from the script element, it helped orient me within the story. i don’t love open endings but i understand this one’s purpose
June 10, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and to Lerner Publishing Group for the advanced copy.
I want to say right off the bat that this book is not for me. I am not a young adult, so it's possible that some of my criticism will not apply to those who are reading at that level. If this book sounds like something you would enjoy I encourage you to do so, but I truly did not enjoy it.
Because the book isn't released yet I'm going to keep this review entirely spoiler-free.
Yuiza is our main character, and there are some things I really like about her. They're strong-willed and sure of who they are, and I think that their strength and connection with their heritage is extremely interesting. The representation in this story is also very unsubtle which I think is a good thing. I believe that it ties in well with the normalization of white supremacy at the school. It's very normal for the students of color to have different gender presentation, but we don't see any of this variety in the white students. It's good!
Unfortunately, I really dislike Yuiza's inner voice which is our narration through the story. It felt a little "adult saying skibiddi toilet" if that makes any sense. It felt very young adult, almost middle grade, with the quality of the writing.
I also didn't really enjoy the "movie script" gimmick. I like that Yuiza has an interest in them, and she does commentate on how her life is becoming like a horror movie. I just don't think that it was integrated into the plot enough to justify the gimmick, and it always took me right out of the narrative.
The other characters are not as fleshed out as they could be. The side character with the most depth is Glorymar, Yuiza's roommate, and I really liked her and her story. Allende was a character that had a lot more potential for depth than he achieved, and I think Farrah is in the same boat. We never truly find out anything deeper about these characters, so I don't feel for them as deeply as I would like to.
The "world-building" of the school is really fascinating, and the escalating tension once she arrives at the campus is well done. Every time Yuiza had to buy something or slipped a little behind in classes I cringed for them. It's the section of the book I enjoyed the most, and I think it's also the section that highlighted the themes the most strongly. The book is about how we don't all have to work the same to achieve the same opportunities, and that BIPOC are systemically disadvantaged. I completely agree with this, and I also like that the theme is not subtle at all. It's as in your face as it gets, and we need books like that.
But just as the novel was building to the climax, several things in a row really made me dislike it. The villains give a monologue about their evil schemes and it includes things that were never even slightly hinted towards in the novel nor explained further. The magical realism starts to get much more magical than I was anticipating. And to top the whole thing off, the ending is EXTREMELY ambiguous. I cannot stress enough that if you don't like ambiguous endings you will not like this one. I'm not a huge fan of them, but I have like them in the past. I think this one was done very poorly.
It was very bold, but it felt more like the author just didn't know how to end the book than a well thought out intentional culmination of the themes.
I wish I liked They Thought They Buried Us more. I think it's an important story that needs to be told, but I think there were too many plot points that were dropped and lost, and too many oddities that I had to let go. It either needed to stay more grounded or go a little more off the rails, but instead it toed this line that made it disappointing on both ends.
I wish NoNieqa Ramos all the success in the world, and I hope you enjoy her novel more than I did.
I want to say right off the bat that this book is not for me. I am not a young adult, so it's possible that some of my criticism will not apply to those who are reading at that level. If this book sounds like something you would enjoy I encourage you to do so, but I truly did not enjoy it.
Because the book isn't released yet I'm going to keep this review entirely spoiler-free.
Yuiza is our main character, and there are some things I really like about her. They're strong-willed and sure of who they are, and I think that their strength and connection with their heritage is extremely interesting. The representation in this story is also very unsubtle which I think is a good thing. I believe that it ties in well with the normalization of white supremacy at the school. It's very normal for the students of color to have different gender presentation, but we don't see any of this variety in the white students. It's good!
Unfortunately, I really dislike Yuiza's inner voice which is our narration through the story. It felt a little "adult saying skibiddi toilet" if that makes any sense. It felt very young adult, almost middle grade, with the quality of the writing.
I also didn't really enjoy the "movie script" gimmick. I like that Yuiza has an interest in them, and she does commentate on how her life is becoming like a horror movie. I just don't think that it was integrated into the plot enough to justify the gimmick, and it always took me right out of the narrative.
The other characters are not as fleshed out as they could be. The side character with the most depth is Glorymar, Yuiza's roommate, and I really liked her and her story. Allende was a character that had a lot more potential for depth than he achieved, and I think Farrah is in the same boat. We never truly find out anything deeper about these characters, so I don't feel for them as deeply as I would like to.
The "world-building" of the school is really fascinating, and the escalating tension once she arrives at the campus is well done. Every time Yuiza had to buy something or slipped a little behind in classes I cringed for them. It's the section of the book I enjoyed the most, and I think it's also the section that highlighted the themes the most strongly. The book is about how we don't all have to work the same to achieve the same opportunities, and that BIPOC are systemically disadvantaged. I completely agree with this, and I also like that the theme is not subtle at all. It's as in your face as it gets, and we need books like that.
But just as the novel was building to the climax, several things in a row really made me dislike it. The villains give a monologue about their evil schemes and it includes things that were never even slightly hinted towards in the novel nor explained further. The magical realism starts to get much more magical than I was anticipating. And to top the whole thing off, the ending is EXTREMELY ambiguous. I cannot stress enough that if you don't like ambiguous endings you will not like this one. I'm not a huge fan of them, but I have like them in the past. I think this one was done very poorly.
It was very bold, but it felt more like the author just didn't know how to end the book than a well thought out intentional culmination of the themes.
I wish I liked They Thought They Buried Us more. I think it's an important story that needs to be told, but I think there were too many plot points that were dropped and lost, and too many oddities that I had to let go. It either needed to stay more grounded or go a little more off the rails, but instead it toed this line that made it disappointing on both ends.
I wish NoNieqa Ramos all the success in the world, and I hope you enjoy her novel more than I did.
June 3, 2024
As always a big thank you to Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for this advanced copy!
I am not sure how I feel about this book. I was really intrigued with the premise of the book, a creepy school with strange happenings is always something I find intriguing and a good horror book is something I always love. However, I personally feel that the book missed the mark with the horror aspect for me. I didn't find it as horror based as I thought it was going to be. I feel it tried to draw on elements from Jordan Peele films, but the execution wasn't done in the best way, in my opinion. I felt it was more a mystery than a horror. The only thing really horror based, in my opinion, was what was happening with the people who ran the elevators.
Another thing that was just not my favorite was what I felt were plotholes throughout the book. There are many events that occur throughout the book that are later not revisited or are not explained well at all. The things occurring with the people who run the elevators has no explanation to it whatsoever, but plays a semi important role throughout the book. The singing that Yuiza does also isn't explained well and left me confused about what role it played in the story as a whole. They talk about these pills for anemia and yet there's no explanation for them and what they do or were intended to do to the girls. There's also really little explanation for the villain at the end of the story, which is disappointing, and honestly while I know people will like the choose your own ending I wish we had a clear ending for the story. It leaves the book feeling incomplete and like a first draft where the author couldn't decide what ending to pick.
I also found that the characters weren't really developed well. They are all very surface level characters that don't feel like they have a lot of depth to them. The relationships between Yuiza and her friends and family are glanced over very quickly and leave you wondering how their relationships have lasted. Yuiza's love for horror is barely noticeable after five chapters into the story, and it leaves me wondering what part it was supposed to play in the story that was unfortunately left out. It also gives zero explanation for why Yuiza and Glorymar are sent to the school after what their parents had clearly endured there as children themselves, and while it's slightly touched on about how they'll never know why they were sent there, there truly should have been a revelation for why they were sent there. Whether it was planned by the villain or their moms trying to right history, there should have been something.
Now there were things I liked about the book, like the way the BIPOC students are quickly drug into debt despite being on scholarship and how the white students are either completely oblivious or willing to ignore the struggles of the BIPOC students to suit their own lives and privledge. I also enjoyed how the school let a few BIPOC students be successful to cover up the cruel and inhumane ways that they kept the BIPOC students basically enslaved to the school with their debt. I also really enjoyed the moment when Yuiza is working the dinner service and they went to ask about Allende and the other character told Yuiza that they were "almost out of the red." It was probably one of my favorite moments of the book.
Overall, while I wish I could have loved the book, it left me feeling like it was incomplete and missing major events that would have made the book feel more complete. I hope other people find more enjoyment in the book than I did and I'd like to give the author another try in the future as they do have elements in their writing that I do enjoy.
I am not sure how I feel about this book. I was really intrigued with the premise of the book, a creepy school with strange happenings is always something I find intriguing and a good horror book is something I always love. However, I personally feel that the book missed the mark with the horror aspect for me. I didn't find it as horror based as I thought it was going to be. I feel it tried to draw on elements from Jordan Peele films, but the execution wasn't done in the best way, in my opinion. I felt it was more a mystery than a horror. The only thing really horror based, in my opinion, was what was happening with the people who ran the elevators.
Another thing that was just not my favorite was what I felt were plotholes throughout the book. There are many events that occur throughout the book that are later not revisited or are not explained well at all. The things occurring with the people who run the elevators has no explanation to it whatsoever, but plays a semi important role throughout the book. The singing that Yuiza does also isn't explained well and left me confused about what role it played in the story as a whole. They talk about these pills for anemia and yet there's no explanation for them and what they do or were intended to do to the girls. There's also really little explanation for the villain at the end of the story, which is disappointing, and honestly while I know people will like the choose your own ending I wish we had a clear ending for the story. It leaves the book feeling incomplete and like a first draft where the author couldn't decide what ending to pick.
I also found that the characters weren't really developed well. They are all very surface level characters that don't feel like they have a lot of depth to them. The relationships between Yuiza and her friends and family are glanced over very quickly and leave you wondering how their relationships have lasted. Yuiza's love for horror is barely noticeable after five chapters into the story, and it leaves me wondering what part it was supposed to play in the story that was unfortunately left out. It also gives zero explanation for why Yuiza and Glorymar are sent to the school after what their parents had clearly endured there as children themselves, and while it's slightly touched on about how they'll never know why they were sent there, there truly should have been a revelation for why they were sent there. Whether it was planned by the villain or their moms trying to right history, there should have been something.
Now there were things I liked about the book, like the way the BIPOC students are quickly drug into debt despite being on scholarship and how the white students are either completely oblivious or willing to ignore the struggles of the BIPOC students to suit their own lives and privledge. I also enjoyed how the school let a few BIPOC students be successful to cover up the cruel and inhumane ways that they kept the BIPOC students basically enslaved to the school with their debt. I also really enjoyed the moment when Yuiza is working the dinner service and they went to ask about Allende and the other character told Yuiza that they were "almost out of the red." It was probably one of my favorite moments of the book.
Overall, while I wish I could have loved the book, it left me feeling like it was incomplete and missing major events that would have made the book feel more complete. I hope other people find more enjoyment in the book than I did and I'd like to give the author another try in the future as they do have elements in their writing that I do enjoy.
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November 3, 2024ARC via publisher
No lie, this book is a tough read for any POC as it really leans into the horror of being a POC in a largely white space. I knew going in that thrillers and horrors are often not easy reads (at least for me) but this novel…really puts their reader through it. While it was tough, I was deeply engaged in the story and it is a page-turner of a novel, until the end. The story just builds and builds, but fizzles at the end as it is unresolved, and I think that is why I have mixed feelings toward this novel.
The strength of the novel is clearly Yuiza who is a fantastic main character, and because she is a horror maven, clearly recognizes right away how odd things are at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy. Right away she decides that she wants to uncover the mysteries of why so many of the work-study students seem to be only POC and that many of them seem practically out of it. So much she calls them zombies and it makes a lot of sense. She notices that many of the BIPOC students never seem to be in class and when the system starts turning on her, she decides to fight. And this is where I truly felt Yuiza’s horror because she realizes that despite doing everything she can to succeed, the system is set up for her to fail and become one of the “zombies”. With her roommate, however, and her creative mind, they work together to try to outwit the system as best as they can.
At the same time, Yuiza is having dreams about the early days of the school and learns of her connection to those events. To me, this mystery was so powerful because I figured out what was going on before Yuiza did and it just added another level to all the horror of the novel. The way the past mystery links with the current mystery is so well done and just really adds to how generational trauma is passed on.
Like I said in my opening, this novel was expertly well written, as there were moments that it was told as if it were a script, yet the dream sequences even has a “shiny” film to them (if that makes sense.) The strength of the characters, the horror of Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, and the very stylistic writing made for an excellent read. It just saddened me that the end of the novel just didn’t land.
No lie, this book is a tough read for any POC as it really leans into the horror of being a POC in a largely white space. I knew going in that thrillers and horrors are often not easy reads (at least for me) but this novel…really puts their reader through it. While it was tough, I was deeply engaged in the story and it is a page-turner of a novel, until the end. The story just builds and builds, but fizzles at the end as it is unresolved, and I think that is why I have mixed feelings toward this novel.
The strength of the novel is clearly Yuiza who is a fantastic main character, and because she is a horror maven, clearly recognizes right away how odd things are at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy. Right away she decides that she wants to uncover the mysteries of why so many of the work-study students seem to be only POC and that many of them seem practically out of it. So much she calls them zombies and it makes a lot of sense. She notices that many of the BIPOC students never seem to be in class and when the system starts turning on her, she decides to fight. And this is where I truly felt Yuiza’s horror because she realizes that despite doing everything she can to succeed, the system is set up for her to fail and become one of the “zombies”. With her roommate, however, and her creative mind, they work together to try to outwit the system as best as they can.
At the same time, Yuiza is having dreams about the early days of the school and learns of her connection to those events. To me, this mystery was so powerful because I figured out what was going on before Yuiza did and it just added another level to all the horror of the novel. The way the past mystery links with the current mystery is so well done and just really adds to how generational trauma is passed on.
Like I said in my opening, this novel was expertly well written, as there were moments that it was told as if it were a script, yet the dream sequences even has a “shiny” film to them (if that makes sense.) The strength of the characters, the horror of Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, and the very stylistic writing made for an excellent read. It just saddened me that the end of the novel just didn’t land.
Read
June 14, 2024I’m not really a YA reader but I did mostly enjoy this! It’s a very engrossing read — I finished it in just a couple of hours. The dialogue was occasionally kind of corny (is this how teens talk?) but the elite boarding school as a microcosm of society at large was really well done. It was painful every time Yuiza had no choice but to sink further into debt, putting her so behind in the race before it had even started.
There are a few things that I think really could’ve been explored further. Firstly, other than the moment where Yuiza is told they couldn’t be a server because the servers are more feminine, there is really not much discussion of the way their queer identity would’ve compounded the discrimination they faced. This is a school that is forcing their students of color into indentured servitude, yet very little homophobia seems to exist in this world. Even the issue of gender presentation is put aside fairly quickly, with Yuiza simply changing their hair and putting on lipstick. It just felt a little odd to make this an aspect of Yuiza’s character and then have it play such a minor role.
I also would’ve liked to learn more about the work study students who “make it.” Why were they chosen? Do they have any compunctions about the role they play? I was also kind of confused about the role that the mothers play in this story. Why would they ever send their children to this place? How were they convinced to do so?
All this is not to say that I didn’t like the book! I just wish the world of the story had been expanded a bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
There are a few things that I think really could’ve been explored further. Firstly, other than the moment where Yuiza is told they couldn’t be a server because the servers are more feminine, there is really not much discussion of the way their queer identity would’ve compounded the discrimination they faced. This is a school that is forcing their students of color into indentured servitude, yet very little homophobia seems to exist in this world. Even the issue of gender presentation is put aside fairly quickly, with Yuiza simply changing their hair and putting on lipstick. It just felt a little odd to make this an aspect of Yuiza’s character and then have it play such a minor role.
I also would’ve liked to learn more about the work study students who “make it.” Why were they chosen? Do they have any compunctions about the role they play? I was also kind of confused about the role that the mothers play in this story. Why would they ever send their children to this place? How were they convinced to do so?
All this is not to say that I didn’t like the book! I just wish the world of the story had been expanded a bit more.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
October 30, 2025
“They Thought They Buried Us”, a book written by Nonieqa Ramos. A story about a girl named Yuiza who gets accepted into an elite boarding school. She finds the change difficult to manage and has a sense that something is wrong. Throughout the book it will leave you in suspense and on cliff hangers. “They Thought They Buried Us” is a book full of horror and mystery. Yuiza loves to create horror films and uses her skills throughout the story in different situations to solve problems. Reading this book I have determined that I dislike it. Although the idea of the book is very interesting, the author did not execute it in a way that is understandable. Multiple things were repeated. Those things included temperature, ( talked about a thermostat for a few chapters ) and skipping class/not doing homework. Most chapters you can easily cut out and the book would still make sense. Chapter 26, pg. 205, Yuiza was trying to convince Glorymar to cry and look sick to skip classes. “Its the thing you need to do to convince Agatha that you're contagious and terrified, and that you need to stay in your room but not go to the doctor.” Chapter 19, pg. 156, Yuiza and Glorymar get into a small argument. “Im too tired to argue with you.” I grabbed the comforter. The air conditioning kicked off. A minute later, the heat turned on. On high, of course. “Oh great. They ‘fixed’ the thermostat.” I would recommend this book to people who really enjoy the life of a teenager in a boarding school. The small mystery part of the book will keep the reader interested because of the cliff hangers it will leave you on.
October 17, 2025
God this was stressful to read. But ultimately did a very good job of elucidating some real world horrors. Oof.
May 29, 2024
i dnfed it,,,, omg i fell asleep reading crazy world smh 🙂↔️
Read
October 22, 2024Review pending but damn this book had me STRESSED haha. Highly recommend for dark academia fans who want their academia extra dark lol.
Update: I really loved NoNi's 2018 & 2019 YAs, so I was excited to finally get a new one (no hate to their picture books!! I just don't have littles in my life 😅). This one was a really cool mashup of prose with scriptwriting, and dark academia with horror. Plus several POVs! It set out to do a lot... and ended up making ME want to be braver as an author because of it. I'm actually working on an MG right now that's in mixed format too (and a different genre than what I usually write), so this book inspo came at the perfect time. Thanks, NoNi 😘. I forgive you for stressing me out with this story.
Update: I really loved NoNi's 2018 & 2019 YAs, so I was excited to finally get a new one (no hate to their picture books!! I just don't have littles in my life 😅). This one was a really cool mashup of prose with scriptwriting, and dark academia with horror. Plus several POVs! It set out to do a lot... and ended up making ME want to be braver as an author because of it. I'm actually working on an MG right now that's in mixed format too (and a different genre than what I usually write), so this book inspo came at the perfect time. Thanks, NoNi 😘. I forgive you for stressing me out with this story.
January 23, 2025
I did really enjoy this book! I liked the slow burn of the horror and the way all the pieces fit goether. The underlying 'Get Out'-ness of it all was really intriguing! And the added horror of forced assimilation was really ... horrifying .
The one thing that pulled me from it a bit was the alternat endings, I guess. I like to have a solid end and the alternate endings left me feeling a bit unfulfilled.
However! I would highly reccommend the book because it is so very good. Just be prepared because it is low burn horror.
The one thing that pulled me from it a bit was the alternat endings, I guess. I like to have a solid end and the alternate endings left me feeling a bit unfulfilled.
However! I would highly reccommend the book because it is so very good. Just be prepared because it is low burn horror.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
"They Thought They Buried Us" by NoNieqa Ramos is a YA horror novel that is extremely unique, both with the plot as well as with the general formatting. Parts of the book are formatted like a movie script, which works with the main character’s aspirations, and I really liked how the author was willing to take risks with the plot, formatting, and even the language used throughout the book.
The story follows Yuiza, a future filmmaker who receives a diversity scholarship to an elite boarding school, only to find herself burdened with debt and subjected to grueling work-study conditions alongside other scholars of color. As Yuiza begins experiencing haunting dreams of her mother and aunt being mistreated at the same school, she is driven to uncover the truth behind these visions and confront the systemic injustices at play.
As stated earlier, Ramos employs a unique writing style, blending traditional prose with elements of a horror movie script, including scene headings and dialogue formatting. While this approach may not appeal to everyone (it took me a bit to get used to this formatting), it adds an innovative layer to the storytelling. It really worked to enhance tension and to establish an appropriate atmosphere throughout the story. My favorite part of the book was the atmosphere and the different horror elements; they kept me engaged throughout.
The ending is definitely the most unique part of the book that may not work for everyone, but I really appreciated the risk Ramos ran with this specific type of ending. It’s one I have never encountered before in a YA book, and it’s an ending that will stick with me for quite while, mainly because the ending was essentially open-ended with a “choose your own adventure” vibe with different plot twists. Again, it’s something I have never encountered before, and I actually enjoyed this type of ending!
In addition to the horror elements, "They Thought They Buried Us" offers commentary on issues of race, identity, and privilege, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths about white saviorism and systemic oppression. This aspect of the book created a layer of complexity to the plot, which made me enjoy it even more.
I will say that getting into this book was challenging, both with the unique formatting and because of the language being used in the book. The book incorporates a lot of Spanish dialogue as well as modern slang, and it took me awhile to get adjusted to these language choices, especially when I was reading Yuiza’s inner thoughts. Additionally, the book's pacing and characterization felt a bit uneven at times, with plot holes and unresolved threads detracting from the overall impact of the story.
Overall, "They Thought They Buried Us" is a very unique story that focuses on both horror and social commentary, and I definitely can’t wait to read more unique creations from Ramos.
"They Thought They Buried Us" by NoNieqa Ramos is a YA horror novel that is extremely unique, both with the plot as well as with the general formatting. Parts of the book are formatted like a movie script, which works with the main character’s aspirations, and I really liked how the author was willing to take risks with the plot, formatting, and even the language used throughout the book.
The story follows Yuiza, a future filmmaker who receives a diversity scholarship to an elite boarding school, only to find herself burdened with debt and subjected to grueling work-study conditions alongside other scholars of color. As Yuiza begins experiencing haunting dreams of her mother and aunt being mistreated at the same school, she is driven to uncover the truth behind these visions and confront the systemic injustices at play.
As stated earlier, Ramos employs a unique writing style, blending traditional prose with elements of a horror movie script, including scene headings and dialogue formatting. While this approach may not appeal to everyone (it took me a bit to get used to this formatting), it adds an innovative layer to the storytelling. It really worked to enhance tension and to establish an appropriate atmosphere throughout the story. My favorite part of the book was the atmosphere and the different horror elements; they kept me engaged throughout.
The ending is definitely the most unique part of the book that may not work for everyone, but I really appreciated the risk Ramos ran with this specific type of ending. It’s one I have never encountered before in a YA book, and it’s an ending that will stick with me for quite while, mainly because the ending was essentially open-ended with a “choose your own adventure” vibe with different plot twists. Again, it’s something I have never encountered before, and I actually enjoyed this type of ending!
In addition to the horror elements, "They Thought They Buried Us" offers commentary on issues of race, identity, and privilege, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths about white saviorism and systemic oppression. This aspect of the book created a layer of complexity to the plot, which made me enjoy it even more.
I will say that getting into this book was challenging, both with the unique formatting and because of the language being used in the book. The book incorporates a lot of Spanish dialogue as well as modern slang, and it took me awhile to get adjusted to these language choices, especially when I was reading Yuiza’s inner thoughts. Additionally, the book's pacing and characterization felt a bit uneven at times, with plot holes and unresolved threads detracting from the overall impact of the story.
Overall, "They Thought They Buried Us" is a very unique story that focuses on both horror and social commentary, and I definitely can’t wait to read more unique creations from Ramos.
October 25, 2024
(Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.)
I’ll start by saying I love horror. And I love finding a book that has a fresh take on the genre. I was very excited to start reading “They Thought They Buried Us” by NoNieqa Ramos, because it promised that fresh take I’m always looking for.
While it delivered, it did so a little haphazardly.
The novel tells the story of Yuiza, who is admitted to an elite private boarding school. She doesn’t want to go, but family and friends convince her to see it as an opportunity. When Yuiza arrives at the school, she quickly realizes that something is off at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy.
The story feels like it moves too slowly in some places, too quickly in others. Characters that feel important are left as glossy snapshots while others are given rich development they don’t seem to merit.
The horror is horrifying, and involves generational trauma and curses with more than a dash of folklore. Ramos does an excellent job of weaving in elements of Hispanic culture: Yuiza’s family is from Puerto Rico, and that plays heavily into the plot. Hispanic representation in horror is lacking, so it’s really wonderful to see it here.
If you’re looking for a quick, scary YA read, this is for you. If you’re looking for something with a little more depth that is well-rounded, you might want to look elsewhere. All of that said, do I regret reading this? No. Would I read something else by Ramos? Yes.
I’ll start by saying I love horror. And I love finding a book that has a fresh take on the genre. I was very excited to start reading “They Thought They Buried Us” by NoNieqa Ramos, because it promised that fresh take I’m always looking for.
While it delivered, it did so a little haphazardly.
The novel tells the story of Yuiza, who is admitted to an elite private boarding school. She doesn’t want to go, but family and friends convince her to see it as an opportunity. When Yuiza arrives at the school, she quickly realizes that something is off at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy.
The story feels like it moves too slowly in some places, too quickly in others. Characters that feel important are left as glossy snapshots while others are given rich development they don’t seem to merit.
The horror is horrifying, and involves generational trauma and curses with more than a dash of folklore. Ramos does an excellent job of weaving in elements of Hispanic culture: Yuiza’s family is from Puerto Rico, and that plays heavily into the plot. Hispanic representation in horror is lacking, so it’s really wonderful to see it here.
If you’re looking for a quick, scary YA read, this is for you. If you’re looking for something with a little more depth that is well-rounded, you might want to look elsewhere. All of that said, do I regret reading this? No. Would I read something else by Ramos? Yes.
October 29, 2024
Yuiza obtiene una beca para un internado prestigioso, y va a instancias de su madre. Pero pronto se da cuenta que los alumnos becados son tratados muy diferente de los de familias poderosas. ¿Puede sobrevivir un semestre allí o debe hacer algo para cambiar las cosas?
Trama adolescente intercalada con historia de denuncia sobre las injusticias, desigualdades y dolores ocultos de los inmigrantes cumpliendo el gran sueño americano.
Construida como película de terror, con formato guion incluso, hay bastantes elementos que están ahí para causar espanto en el lector pero no están elaborados ni resultan lógicos anclados en el mundo real que pretenden existir. Y no me refiero al aspecto de realismo mágico, sino a lo improbable de que la madre la lleve allí cuando sabe del pasado de la institución, además del extremo cruel de la vida de los alumnos becados y que la protagonista ni se percate de la red en la que la están envolviendo. A veces la protagonista sobrepasa la ingenuidad (por no llamarlo de otra forma) y toma decisiones que no corresponden con las reacciones que se esperarían de una adolescente de su edad.
Pese a sus altibajos, es una historia ágil que solo se ve empañada por el "genial" recurso de escribir finales alternativos, cuando dejar el final trágico original habría dado más fuerza a su pretensión de denuncia.
Trama adolescente intercalada con historia de denuncia sobre las injusticias, desigualdades y dolores ocultos de los inmigrantes cumpliendo el gran sueño americano.
Construida como película de terror, con formato guion incluso, hay bastantes elementos que están ahí para causar espanto en el lector pero no están elaborados ni resultan lógicos anclados en el mundo real que pretenden existir. Y no me refiero al aspecto de realismo mágico, sino a lo improbable de que la madre la lleve allí cuando sabe del pasado de la institución, además del extremo cruel de la vida de los alumnos becados y que la protagonista ni se percate de la red en la que la están envolviendo. A veces la protagonista sobrepasa la ingenuidad (por no llamarlo de otra forma) y toma decisiones que no corresponden con las reacciones que se esperarían de una adolescente de su edad.
Pese a sus altibajos, es una historia ágil que solo se ve empañada por el "genial" recurso de escribir finales alternativos, cuando dejar el final trágico original habría dado más fuerza a su pretensión de denuncia.
September 21, 2024
It would be interesting to juxtapose NoNieqa Ramos’s novel They Thought They Buried Us and Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s Ace of Spades. Both use prestigious high schools as backdrops to explore institutional racism, colonialism, and the erasure of history/culture BIPOC students are often forced to endure when navigating predominately white spaces. But where Ace of Spades is a bit more subtle in its “reveal,” Ramos is unflinching and blunt in their description of the rigged education system. In true horror fashion, it is easy to identify the evils at the school and the unsettling sense of dread and danger. In fact, there are literal as well as metaphorical screams into the void in this novel. Without revealing spoilers, the climax of this novel left a little to be desired. Storylines were left incomplete, character motivations were wanting, and the frogs took away from the high stakes horror element. However, the ending(s) hooked me right back in again. It was a brilliant way to conclude the novel and would appeal to both adult and young adult readers alike.
Favorite Characters: Rosario
Favorite Dynamic: Yuiza and her roommate Glorymar – besides a very out of place ‘romantic’ scene, these two were interesting foils to each other.
Favorite Characters: Rosario
Favorite Dynamic: Yuiza and her roommate Glorymar – besides a very out of place ‘romantic’ scene, these two were interesting foils to each other.
September 3, 2024
Let me start by saying I was deeply intrigued by the premise of this book. The setting and atmosphere were great. A haunted boarding school with a dark secret and an aspiring horror filmmaker who is being forced to attend, as to not let their parents down.
Queer horror? Academic setting? A haunting? Yes, please!
It turns out, unfortunately, this just wasn't the story for me. The pacing and writing style were a bit odd and clunky for me. It felt like it took a while for the plot to really get going and the characters sometimes read as much younger than they were supposed to be. (In the first chapters our main character read as a middle school student rather than a high school teen.) This made it hard for me to get invested in the story and to understand character motivations, and their reasoning behind decisions.
However, I can see how this would appeal to another audience. The way this book was set up in a movie script style was really lovely and a nice change of pace. The story also relies on some classic horror tropes, and truly is creepy if you connect with the plot and characters.
Queer horror? Academic setting? A haunting? Yes, please!
It turns out, unfortunately, this just wasn't the story for me. The pacing and writing style were a bit odd and clunky for me. It felt like it took a while for the plot to really get going and the characters sometimes read as much younger than they were supposed to be. (In the first chapters our main character read as a middle school student rather than a high school teen.) This made it hard for me to get invested in the story and to understand character motivations, and their reasoning behind decisions.
However, I can see how this would appeal to another audience. The way this book was set up in a movie script style was really lovely and a nice change of pace. The story also relies on some classic horror tropes, and truly is creepy if you connect with the plot and characters.
November 16, 2024
"Racism was the horror movie that broke all the rules. It wasn't confined to one place, one perpetrator. It wasn't confined to the dark. Victims weren't hidden in walls and basements. They were heaped in plain sight. Perpetrators claimed racism didn't exist even as they trampled over the bodies."
Oof. This book will leave you feeling raw and ready to fight.
We follow Yuiza who is a horror-film buff and creator who is sent off to a white-washed boarding school which is supposed to help her "be successful". However, Yuiza quickly experiences the disparities and blatant racism within the school. It is rampant and unabashed.
We follow Yuiza through the stages of grief of trying to get through, acceptance, anger, fighting back, and on and on.
We experience her and other BIPOC students' generational trauma and repression; their heart and their hope, their fight and their drive.
Most importantly we get to stand alongside them through their connectedness, their love and respect for each other, their passion and strength.
The message in this book is so important and so VERY real and prevalent today.
Oof. This book will leave you feeling raw and ready to fight.
We follow Yuiza who is a horror-film buff and creator who is sent off to a white-washed boarding school which is supposed to help her "be successful". However, Yuiza quickly experiences the disparities and blatant racism within the school. It is rampant and unabashed.
We follow Yuiza through the stages of grief of trying to get through, acceptance, anger, fighting back, and on and on.
We experience her and other BIPOC students' generational trauma and repression; their heart and their hope, their fight and their drive.
Most importantly we get to stand alongside them through their connectedness, their love and respect for each other, their passion and strength.
The message in this book is so important and so VERY real and prevalent today.
May 8, 2024
Dive into 'They Thought They Buried Us' by NoNieqa Ramos for a journey that'll keep you glued to the page. This book is like nothing I've ever read before, and I loved every second of it. It's amazing and horrifying all in one. Yuiza's story isn't just gripping; it's eye-opening. Ramos seamlessly weaves in horror with real-life issues, creating a narrative that's as chilling as it is thought-provoking.
As Yuiza's journey unfolds, you'll find yourself hooked from the start, racing through the pages to uncover the truth alongside her. Each revelation sends shivers down your spine, both from the suspenseful horror and the stark exploration of race, identity, and privilege. Ramos masterfully blends elements of horror with a narrative that pulses with adrenaline, leaving you on the edge of your seat and prompting reflection long after the final page is turned.
I couldn't put it down and can't wait to see what Ramos does next. If you're after a read that's both thrilling and thought-provoking, this is it.
#netgalleyreviewer
As Yuiza's journey unfolds, you'll find yourself hooked from the start, racing through the pages to uncover the truth alongside her. Each revelation sends shivers down your spine, both from the suspenseful horror and the stark exploration of race, identity, and privilege. Ramos masterfully blends elements of horror with a narrative that pulses with adrenaline, leaving you on the edge of your seat and prompting reflection long after the final page is turned.
I couldn't put it down and can't wait to see what Ramos does next. If you're after a read that's both thrilling and thought-provoking, this is it.
#netgalleyreviewer
September 9, 2024
Thank you to Lerner Publishing Group and Netgalley for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
I'm so frustrated about this novel. Because there was so much potential dripping off these pages—the entire premise, the use of script-writing integrated into the prose itself, and the exploration of racism literally haunting + terrorizing generations. I was so excited to dive in.
However, the execution was just...not there. I felt like They Thought They Buried Us needed at least one or two more rounds of edits. Transitions were clunky, dialogue felt unnatural, and I just felt like it needed to be edited to really make its impact. Because, I do think if this was tighter and smoother, this would have truly delivered.
But, as it is, I left frustrated and upset that it didn't live up to its fullest potential.
True rating: 2.5 stars.
I'm so frustrated about this novel. Because there was so much potential dripping off these pages—the entire premise, the use of script-writing integrated into the prose itself, and the exploration of racism literally haunting + terrorizing generations. I was so excited to dive in.
However, the execution was just...not there. I felt like They Thought They Buried Us needed at least one or two more rounds of edits. Transitions were clunky, dialogue felt unnatural, and I just felt like it needed to be edited to really make its impact. Because, I do think if this was tighter and smoother, this would have truly delivered.
But, as it is, I left frustrated and upset that it didn't live up to its fullest potential.
True rating: 2.5 stars.
September 10, 2024
✨ They Thought They Buried Us ✨
“You didn’t just inherit generational pain in your DNA. You inherited generational resolve. Draw on our strength. The strength of your ancestors.” - Nonieqa Ramos
Wow!! They Thought They Buried Us is an eerie read from start to finish! This YA Horror is 100% giving Get Out vibes while highlighting the existence of racism, colonialism & classism in academic settings. Unsettling & thought provoking in the best way possible - They Thought They Buried Us sheds light on the dangers of rewriting history to make it more “palatable”. So good, so scary & chillingly relevant! 10/10 recommend!
Thank you so much Colored Pages Tours & Lerner Books for sending a copy my way! This was my first time reading a book by Nonieqa Ramos and I’m very excited to check out more of their work!
“You didn’t just inherit generational pain in your DNA. You inherited generational resolve. Draw on our strength. The strength of your ancestors.” - Nonieqa Ramos
Wow!! They Thought They Buried Us is an eerie read from start to finish! This YA Horror is 100% giving Get Out vibes while highlighting the existence of racism, colonialism & classism in academic settings. Unsettling & thought provoking in the best way possible - They Thought They Buried Us sheds light on the dangers of rewriting history to make it more “palatable”. So good, so scary & chillingly relevant! 10/10 recommend!
Thank you so much Colored Pages Tours & Lerner Books for sending a copy my way! This was my first time reading a book by Nonieqa Ramos and I’m very excited to check out more of their work!
September 15, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing for an advanced copy.
Unfortunately, this is a first-25-pages DNF for me. I usually try to give books until the 30% mark, but the way this book is formatted as if parts of it were a script was making it incredibly difficult to read. The first time a new character is introduced, their name is BOLDED and each new scene is preceded by a script-style description of the location and time.
I really wanted to love this, but the prose and narration felt so strange and juvenile that I couldn't focus on what was happening. It read more like MG than YA, which I think might be fine for younger readers who are in between the two categories, but as an older reader it just wasn't for me.
I think if you like the idea of blending prose with other kinds of formatting, you might enjoy this, it just wasn't the right thing for me.
Unfortunately, this is a first-25-pages DNF for me. I usually try to give books until the 30% mark, but the way this book is formatted as if parts of it were a script was making it incredibly difficult to read. The first time a new character is introduced, their name is BOLDED and each new scene is preceded by a script-style description of the location and time.
I really wanted to love this, but the prose and narration felt so strange and juvenile that I couldn't focus on what was happening. It read more like MG than YA, which I think might be fine for younger readers who are in between the two categories, but as an older reader it just wasn't for me.
I think if you like the idea of blending prose with other kinds of formatting, you might enjoy this, it just wasn't the right thing for me.
December 28, 2024
this book drew me in, couldn’t put it down once I got into the meat and potatoes of it. yuiza knows she’s in a horror plot, but doesn’t see a way out of it. but there are a number of questions hinted at but left unanswered; why did her mother send her to a boarding school she barely escaped alive? was farrah really that naive? organ harvesting??
the ending being purposely ambiguous was frustrating to me personally, and whichever ending it was felt hastily wrapped up. after an emotionally tolling read, it would’ve been nice to feel a sense of completion, whether it was a good or bad ending.
representation & injustice is spelled out almost too obviously the whole book. i don’t mind it though. the movie bit was a fun deviation from the norm. the supernatural was good- until it became WAY too much at the end.
overall, enthralling read, but fell flat at the ending.
the ending being purposely ambiguous was frustrating to me personally, and whichever ending it was felt hastily wrapped up. after an emotionally tolling read, it would’ve been nice to feel a sense of completion, whether it was a good or bad ending.
representation & injustice is spelled out almost too obviously the whole book. i don’t mind it though. the movie bit was a fun deviation from the norm. the supernatural was good- until it became WAY too much at the end.
overall, enthralling read, but fell flat at the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2024
It took me quite some time to write this review because I was not sure of my feelings about this book. It was a difficult one to get through. The writing style wasn't my favorite - it felt clunky and underdeveloped. There were also times when I felt certain characters, primarily Yuiza, was much younger than what she was presented to be. I wasn't a fan of her inner monologue either.
I did love the premise and promise of an academic atmosphere with hauntings and secrets. That's something that would immediately grasp me, however, this book was not one for me.
Thank you NetGalley, Lerner Publishing Group, and NoNeiqa Ramos for this read.
I did love the premise and promise of an academic atmosphere with hauntings and secrets. That's something that would immediately grasp me, however, this book was not one for me.
Thank you NetGalley, Lerner Publishing Group, and NoNeiqa Ramos for this read.
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