Reviews

Violet Ghosts by Leah Thomas

punkgremlin's review

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

• 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

4.75

missrmaxwell's review

dark emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

iorangi's review

emotional hopeful mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

shopthebookworm's review

3.0

Violet Ghosts was a great story, especially for those who loved watching stuff like Ghost Whisperer. It was nice to see representation in the book (a transgender main protagonist, Asian secondary character, etc) along with important topics of domestic abuse and abuse within families, in general. Sexual assault is also a significant detail to the story which should be taken more seriously, in both the real and fictional world.

vschultheis1's review

dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

achay91's review

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

thereadingchallengechallenge's review

challenging emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Violet Ghosts is an incredibly moving story about Dani, a teenager whose only friends are ghosts and a boy who once bullied them.

I was reluctant to give Leah Thomas another go after absolutely loathing Because You'll Never Meet Me for its horrendous ableism but I found this novel on a bookshop crawl earlier in the year and decided to give her another chance.

And I'm very glad I did.

It's also set back in 1998, 2002 and 2003 which were interesting time periods to visit, especially with the themes of queerness and feminism Thomas explores through the novel. Extra especially when you consider the different kinds of feminism the different characters, some of whom are ghosts from earlier time periods, express.

I can't quite pin down what it was I loved about this book. It was very much about the vibes and the atmosphere. I loved sitting in the motel lobby with Dani and the ghosts. I loved going to Seiji's house for tea. I loved the community organising and the admission that parents don't always know what's best for their children. I just loved it.

If you're looking for an emotional paranormal read that's a little left of center, give Violet Ghosts a go but please heed the warnings I've listed below.

Warnings: references to and descriptions of child sexual abuse and domestic abuse, abusive parents and family members, some trans- and lesbophobia, and references to suicide.

kjovertherainbow's review

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

rynstagram's review

4.0

*review based on an ARC

I love how this book uses pop culture references to anchor the plot, as well as the names of people and ghosts. 

I've always thought that trans-ness and queerness have a lot in common with being a ghost, and this book explores that as well as how trauma in general has a lot in common with ghostliness. 

It has kind of a slow start and the pacing could be a bit better, especially with Danny's friendship with Seiji, and the last chapter is kind of a quick summary of how everything wraps up which I don't always love. 

But I was surprised by how much depth and heart this book has; I love being caught off guard with a good book turning quickly into a great one!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Transphobia, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Violence, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Incest, Alcohol, Confinement, and Gaslighting

Minor: Torture and Terminal illness

elizabethwebb's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, Transphobia, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Deadnaming, Confinement, Child death, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Lesbophobia, Incest, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Death of parent, Death, Bullying, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Abandonment