A review by ghostlydreamer
Shy Ninja by Ricardo Sanchez

adventurous inspiring mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

I wanted more from this one. Let's start with that.

The idea of a shy girl with significant social anxiety becoming a ninja felt like such a good concept. I'm normally not one for ninja stuff, but the promise that it would blend this with themes of mental health made this book appealing to me. And I do think this was a fun, quick read. I just think it was also lacking in a lot of areas.

Maybe a younger, less critical reader than me would appreciate this more. Especially if they can relate to Rena. The progress she makes throughout the novel is inspiring. Her fears are openly challenged, and at first, she's resistant. But when she finds the thing she can be passionate about, the thing she excells at, her feelings of self-worth increase significantly, and I think that's a very valuable lesson that makes this book especially good for younger readers. To see her overcome her fears and learn how to be social and see her own worth is incredible, and I will absolutely give this book significant praise for this portrayal. It's just everything else that fell a little flat.

There just seemed to be a lot of plotholes in the ninja half of the plotline. Things moved quickly, but maybe a little TOO quickly. If we'd stopped and expanded on a few things a little more, exploring ideas deeper than surface level, I feel like the major plot twists at the end would have made a bit more sense. Unfortunately, with the way it's set up, very little foreshadowing was done, making things feel a little too convenient. It almost makes me feel like this book should have kept its emphasis on the mental health aspect, where the author excels, than on the adrenaline-rush that the sneaky ninja mission is supposed to add. That part required a significant suspension of disbelief, which I'm fine with considering who this book is aimed for. But it would have been a bit better if there weren't so many missing pieces.

The art style was cute though, and it's fun to look at. I just feel like the story was lacking in a lot of places, which lowered my interest and made it less memorable. That being said, I do think younger readers would love this and wouldn't have the same criticisms that I do.