Goodreads Link: Blue Rabbit
Author: Jimena Novaro
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5/5 stars

I flew threw this book! A very unique urban fantasy with a portal to another world. It kept me guessing with twists and turns. The story throws you right into the middle of the action. The five friends have already discovered the portal to another world, explored it a little, and found out its dangers when another boy from their school follows them into the forest, then gets kidnapped by the Creatures–and suddenly our protagonists are blamed for his murder! So they’re already struggling to figure out a way to fight back and hopefully rescue the other boy. The story continues to fast pace by leaping forward through numerous complications and action. At times I wanted a little bit of a breather and a chance to see the things that happened in between, but it definitely kept me hooked.

My favorite part is the relationships between the five main friends in the book. From the beginning, it’s obvious how bonded they are, and we see a few glimpses of their pasts growing up together through little photographs, videos, and other mementos. Later on, I learned that some of these relationships were a little complicated, but that loyalty stayed a common thread throughout the story. It reminded me of some of the intense friendships I had in my own teen years.

There was one disturbing part of the story, but the author handled it with subtlety and the actual event took place off-camera. I was nervous when I realized what was going to happen but relieved that I didn’t actually have to read it described directly. Instead, the author just shows how it affects the character afterward, in a very delicate and realistic way.

A lot of sacrifices were made along the way, and I was saddened by some of the ending, but overall it resolved the story and I felt there was hope for the future of the survivors. Interestingly, the final scene is not shown from the perspective of any of the main characters, but by a minor family member. It was intriguing to see a glimpse of the group of friends from an outsider’s viewpoint.

Overall, I loved this book, and I look forward to reading it again! A stunning debut novel from Jimena Novaro!