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bunnybookslife's review
DNF @ 131 pages ish?
I won this in a Storygraph giveaway, I was hoping I was gonna love this more, but it just felt very much like a book for boys. I dont really get it. Its not my vibe or my humor. I didnt really like it. There was some good parts here and there, but it didnt work for me. :/
I won this in a Storygraph giveaway, I was hoping I was gonna love this more, but it just felt very much like a book for boys. I dont really get it. Its not my vibe or my humor. I didnt really like it. There was some good parts here and there, but it didnt work for me. :/
kade_spade's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book almost felt experimental in the way it was written. Not meaning that it was so artful that it was hard to read but written different than most books are written and formatted. I think for the vibe the book was trying to give off and the story being written, the quirkiness of it works well. Most of the characters are insufferable so it can make the book hard to read at times. However, I liked the book overall. Interesting, slightly funny storyline and it doesn’t take its self too seriously.
amysbrittain's review
4.0
3.5 stars.
I loved the premise and start of this zany story in which a statistics geek braves his high school reunion, only to be mistaken for a drug kingpin named Santa Ana, but the prolonged gory and absurd scenes made me impatient.
Santa Ana is a madcap story about a misfit who's mistaken for a drug kingpin at his high school reunion.
The authors alternate points of view to show the perspectives of the statistics geek, the best friend intrigued by him, the meathead, the "it" girl, and an omniscient narrator with a twisted sense of humor who breaks the fourth wall and directly addresses the reader/listener.
The California setting is vivid, and the story is zany, entertaining, and full of dark humor. I loved the bizarre twist on high school nostalgia.
The absurdity of the premise had me hooked early on, but in the last quarter of the book the screwball events shift into an ongoing, gory bloodbath. This squashed much of my interest, as I couldn't let myself be lost in the insanity any longer because it was so violent.
The drug-fueled hallucinations late in the book felt like an opportunity to explore pure feelings and for the straight-laced main protagonist to cut loose, but these went on too long for me, and I became impatient with them.
I liked the sassy twists at the end of the book and the way the story is wrapped up, and I enjoyed the inclusion of the Santa Ana winds and their mythical, powerful, chaotic effects. The narrators were wonderfully animated.
I listened to Santa Ana courtesy of Libro.fm and Blackstone Publishing.
To see my full review on The Bossy Bookworm, or to find out about Bossy reviews and Greedy Reading Lists as soon as they're posted, please see Santa Ana.
Find hundreds of reviews and lots of roundups of my favorite books on the blog: Bossy Bookworm
Follow me on Instagram! @bossybookwormblog
Or Facebook! The Bossy Bookworm
I loved the premise and start of this zany story in which a statistics geek braves his high school reunion, only to be mistaken for a drug kingpin named Santa Ana, but the prolonged gory and absurd scenes made me impatient.
Santa Ana is a madcap story about a misfit who's mistaken for a drug kingpin at his high school reunion.
The authors alternate points of view to show the perspectives of the statistics geek, the best friend intrigued by him, the meathead, the "it" girl, and an omniscient narrator with a twisted sense of humor who breaks the fourth wall and directly addresses the reader/listener.
The California setting is vivid, and the story is zany, entertaining, and full of dark humor. I loved the bizarre twist on high school nostalgia.
The absurdity of the premise had me hooked early on, but in the last quarter of the book the screwball events shift into an ongoing, gory bloodbath. This squashed much of my interest, as I couldn't let myself be lost in the insanity any longer because it was so violent.
The drug-fueled hallucinations late in the book felt like an opportunity to explore pure feelings and for the straight-laced main protagonist to cut loose, but these went on too long for me, and I became impatient with them.
I liked the sassy twists at the end of the book and the way the story is wrapped up, and I enjoyed the inclusion of the Santa Ana winds and their mythical, powerful, chaotic effects. The narrators were wonderfully animated.
I listened to Santa Ana courtesy of Libro.fm and Blackstone Publishing.
To see my full review on The Bossy Bookworm, or to find out about Bossy reviews and Greedy Reading Lists as soon as they're posted, please see Santa Ana.
Find hundreds of reviews and lots of roundups of my favorite books on the blog: Bossy Bookworm
Follow me on Instagram! @bossybookwormblog
Or Facebook! The Bossy Bookworm
anasf21's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-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
4.25
I really enjoyed this book. It's a quick read, funny and lighthearted. I loved the way it's written, I think it adds up to the dynamism of the book and makes it even funnier. I needed a break from dense books and this has been perfect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Sexual content, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
ajkremer's review
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-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
3.25
msdebruin's review against another edition
I've read two chapters about different characters. I'm not interested in reading more about either one of them. Thanks for the free book though! I will pass it on to someone who will hopefully like it more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
angelbabe_cj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Gun violence, Murder, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Violence, Cursing, Death, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, and Vomit
v93's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Deliciously chaotic and truly hilarious
kimmykelly's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Gore, Alcoholism, Animal death, Gun violence, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Blood, Bullying, and Death