They Thought They Buried Us

This had everything that I was looking for in a horror genre, I loved that the cover was mysterious and I wasn’t sure what I was going into. It was great and I enjoyed the use of someone with horror movie knowledge. The characters were wonderfully done and I enjoyed the horror elements to this story. NoNieqa Ramos has a great writing style and I enjoyed the overall concept for this book and can’t wait to read more.

I can't say enough great things about this book. I have never been so stressed out by a thriller to the point that I questioned whether I would have to DNF because the feelings it evoked were so overwhelming. However, I knew that choice would only be too in line with the actions of the oppressors throughout this story. And while this is fiction, it is so closely interwoven with reality that to look away from this story would only contribute to the violence it describes. This story is horrific, unsettling, and disturbingly close to reality. However, I really appreciate the way that the author showed the strength of the characters, their cultures, and the communities they create to survive. This story is not only pain and sorrow, it is also a testament to the courage it takes to keep fighting, even when you don't want to, because it's the only choice you have other than to be erased.

I will be posting reviews to StoryGraph, TikTok, and Fable closer to publication date.

A fascinating tale of intrigue and despair against a dark academia background. An excellent read for fans of horror, suspense, and mystery.

I usually don't like to say “for fans of blah blah blah”, but this YA horror by NoNieqa Ramos definitely will appeal to lovers of Jordan Peele’s movies of which I am one! You will scream “Get Out, Yuiza!” as you madly pour through every page of They Thought They Buried Us.


Future film maker Yuiza gets a diversity scholarship to an elite boarding school that is a pipeline to the Ivies, but like the other scholars of color, she quickly racks up debt on everyday essentials forcing them into a work study program with grueling hours and insulting conditions.


Yuiza begins having dreams about her mother and tias as children being severely mistreated at the very same campus. What do these dreams mean and how can she beat a rigged system?


Parts of the writing is formatted like a horror movie script: there are scene headings, voice overs, dialogue, character names in all caps, parenthetical. There are also a lot of humorous moments. I got a kick out of Yuiza mentally charging offending adults and students for their microaggressions. Let’s just say if it was real money, she would be a millionaire. The novel drips with social commentary about white saviorism (be grateful for this opportunity we gave you) and race relations.

Thanks to Netgalley for giving me early access to this YA thriller.