this book follows five friends trying to outrun and outmatch the underground world of sex work. when kalu makes a decision at his f2024 reads: 244/250
this book follows five friends trying to outrun and outmatch the underground world of sex work. when kalu makes a decision at his friend ahmed’s sex party that will plunge them all into chaos, the friends are brought into danger they’re not sure they can escape.
what i love about akwaeke emezi’s books is that every one of them is different. i went into this book not having much of an idea as to what it had in store for me, and honestly, i don’t really think it would have been possible to know what to expect anyway. still, i enjoyed how each imperfect character moved through this story. i can’t wait to read more from emezi.
while i did enjoy this, it’s not something i would recommend lightly. please be aware this book deals heavily with themes of sexual violence and homophobia....more
lady trent is the world’s most renowned dragon naturalist. this book tells the story of how she started off in this path, from a cu2024 reads: 236/250
lady trent is the world’s most renowned dragon naturalist. this book tells the story of how she started off in this path, from a curious little girl to a headstrong married woman.
i went into this book expecting emily wilde but with dragons, and honestly, that expectation wasn’t far off. i would say, though, this was less focused on dragons than i expected, but there are quite a few more books in this series, so this could very well change. with that said, while we didn’t see very many dragons on-page, we did get to see lady trent’s love for dragons grow and grow, which i think is just as important. i read her as being autistic and will continue doing so for the rest of the series...more
when meghna finds out that her college boyfriend (and, unfortunately, current crush) seth is engaged to someone else, and he ask4.5
2024 reads: 232/250
when meghna finds out that her college boyfriend (and, unfortunately, current crush) seth is engaged to someone else, and he asks her to be his best man, she’s determined to move on. she agrees to let her parents introduce her to a potential match. this is how she meets karthik, who’s handsome enough, but has a sour attitude towards marriage and life in general. however, karthik would love to get his mom off his back, so he proposes a fake engagement to meghna. and, while meghna doesn’t like the idea of lying to her loved ones, she realizes this just might be what she needs to show seth she’s moved on. the deeper they get into this fake engagement scheme, though, the more meghna and karthik start to have real feelings for each other…
this was such a lovely romance, and i had a hard time putting it down. i loved meghna and karthik so much! meghna is an english teacher who’s passionate about theatre, directing the school play and even writing her own play on the side. she feels like she disappointed her parents by following her passion, and that maybe she’ll make them proud with an engagement.
karthik is an engineer who’s deeply affected by his father’s actions. because of his father, karthik is sure he could never treat his future wife how she deserves to be treated, making him wary of marriage. he agrees to let his mom try to match him to please her, but he never expected to meet someone who makes him feel the way meghna does.
while i loved the main plot, i also loved that both characters had other things going on with their family and friends as well. this made the story very well-rounded, in my opinion, which captivated me even more.
i’m actually very upset this is naina kumar’s debut because i want to read more from her ASAP! with that said, i know her next book will be well worth the wait!...more
this book details the author’s experience with chronic illness. tessa miller was an ambitious writer in her twenties when her stoma2024 reads: 230/250
this book details the author’s experience with chronic illness. tessa miller was an ambitious writer in her twenties when her stomach began to seize up. at first, she tried to tough it out, but she soon realized something was seriously wrong, and she went to the hospital, where she began her ongoing, years-long journey of medical procedures, mistreatment, and life-threatening infections. with her diagnosis of crohn’s disease came answers and the start of identity reconstruction.
i’m going to be honest and say that i thought i knew a bit about crohn’s disease before starting this, but i was quickly humbled. miller shares a lot of details about crohn’s disease, and it’s safe to say this is a lot more than your average tummy issues. miller also discusses her experiences with c. diff, which is a reoccurrence in her life, and mental illness. i liked how miller pointed out the connections between these and how they affect her life.
when reading a memoir, i typically just expect to read about one person’s anecdotes. while we had plenty of these, i also appreciated the other viewpoints miller added as well as the factual information regarding disability she made sure to include. miller also discussed her advice to fellow chronically ill people, which i thought was great!...more
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rat2024 reads: 240/250
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
rae seizes a second chance at life through a magical bargain allowing her to become part of her favorite fantasy series. she wonders if her life isn’t just as threatened in the fictional world, though, when she awakes in a kingdom that’s on the brink of war and filled with dangerous monsters. despite this, she’s elated to have the chance to get to know her favorite fictional character, the once and forever emperor…until she finds out that she’s not the hero of this story, but the villain.
this was such a cool concept, so i was very excited to read it. i didn’t have very many expectations going into this, but i was still surprised. i enjoyed how the plot played out, from the magical bargain that placed rae into this world to her taking on the role of villain. the juxtaposition of the world of time of iron (rae’s favorite series) and rae’s upbringing in the modern world was pretty funny at times.
overall, this was a fun book, and i’m eagerly awaiting the sequel!
narration: the narrator, moira quirk, did a wonderful job bringing this story to life!...more
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating2024 reads: 229/250
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
psyche has captured the eyes of every suitor in—and beyond—town. while these men are happy to look at her, none seem to want to marry her. this stresses out her father, who becomes desperate when the townspeople begin blaming their family for failed harvests, so he seeks out the oracle’s advice. the oracle, guided by the jealous aphrodite’s child eros, instructs psyche’s father to hand her over to a monstrous husband. instead of a monster, though, psyche is swept away to an idyllic palace, where her spouse, eros, visits her at night. psyche thinks it’s odd that her prophesied husband is neither man nor monster and that she’s not allowed to see her, but she soon falls in love with eros (who she calls pteron) and her life there. when she becomes filled with doubts, though, she breaks eros’s one rule by looking at her face, which brings about trouble in her home and on olympus…
as soon as i saw this, i knew it’d be at least 4-5 stars for me. i adore greek mythology retellings, and i haven’t seen many of eros and psyche. i was only vaguely familiar with the story of eros and psyche before reading this, but refreshing my memory with quick descriptions, this seems to have captured the essence of the story. i loved the decision to make this a sapphic love story. this representation is definitely lacking when it comes to greek mythology retellings. additionally, eros is nonbinary and i found her discussions of her gender interesting.
overall, this was a beautifully-written retelling, and i’d highly recommend it to greek mythology lovers. i can’t wait for whatever’s next from caro de robertis!...more
this is the sixth and final book in the bonds that tie series.
after thousands of years apart, oli and her bond group’s god bonds ar2024 reads: 224/250
this is the sixth and final book in the bonds that tie series.
after thousands of years apart, oli and her bond group’s god bonds are reunited. this time, oli and her bonded have an advantage, but will it be enough to survive the gods, or will history repeat itself?
with all the buildup from the previous five books, i would have expected this book to be more action-packed, as this is the finale. however, while it was anticlimactic in this way, it was plenty climactic in other ways…
overall, i enjoyed how the story wrapped up. this was more character-focused than the previous books, and i liked the character and relationship development we got to see. i’d be interested in reading more from j. bree!...more
in this book, hannah setzer talks about growing up with a disability, parenting fails, her fitness journey, and more. i loved her c2024 reads: 216/250
in this book, hannah setzer talks about growing up with a disability, parenting fails, her fitness journey, and more. i loved her candor throughout!...more
this book serves as a guide to being a thoughtful ally to disabled people. emily ladau draws from her own experience as someone wit2024 reads: 213/250
this book serves as a guide to being a thoughtful ally to disabled people. emily ladau draws from her own experience as someone with larsen syndrome and as a wheelchair user, and other disabled activists’ experiences. though it’s short, there’s a lot to learn from this book. i’d recommend this to anyone wanting more information on the history and current state of disability rights and on how to be a better ally to the disability community....more
akari is a high school junior who has devoted her life to her oshi, masaki ueno. when masaki is caught in a scandal, akari is sure 2024 reads: 212/250
akari is a high school junior who has devoted her life to her oshi, masaki ueno. when masaki is caught in a scandal, akari is sure the rumors are just that. as her personal life falls apart, akari becomes even more obsessed with her oshi.
this book was painful to read. i’m not saying this is a flaw of the book, but actually the opposite. rin usami did a little too good of a job portraying the obsessive fans that can be found on many corners of the internet. i liked the social commentary in this book. i hope to read more from rin usami in the future!...more
leah lakshmi piepzna-samarasinha follows up care work with this exploration of living during covid-19 as a disabled femme of color 2024 reads: 210/250
leah lakshmi piepzna-samarasinha follows up care work with this exploration of living during covid-19 as a disabled femme of color in an ableist world. they discuss mutual aid and disabled joy in the face of isolation and discrimination. i loved this book. i’d highly recommend this to anyone interested in disability justice!...more
at thirty-two years old, tara sidhoo fraser has a stroke caused by an arteriovenous malformation. after surgery, she has no memory 2024 reads: 207/250
at thirty-two years old, tara sidhoo fraser has a stroke caused by an arteriovenous malformation. after surgery, she has no memory of her previous life, so she starts trying to piece it all together. when her memories begin to surface, though, they’re seen through someone else’s eyes. she calls this person whose body she stole “ghost.” during this time, she meets jude, who is also struggling with their identity. tara’s conflict with ghost increases, and ghost, her memories, and her ex all threaten tara’s new relationship.
this memoir was absolutely beautiful. i’ve learned a lot about the medical side of strokes from my education, and even a bit about the personal side of strokes from my (limited) clinical experience, but never something as personal and unique as this memoir. i’d highly recommend this to people who enjoy reading memoirs, especially if you’d like to know more about how strokes can affect people....more
This is a comic anthology written by autistic artists depicting various aspects of autistic life such as being diagnosed (including self-diagnosis), mThis is a comic anthology written by autistic artists depicting various aspects of autistic life such as being diagnosed (including self-diagnosis), meltdowns, masking, autistic joy, and so on. I really appreciated all the different art styles and getting a peek into what being autistic is like. I thought this was formatted well and, although the comics were different, they flowed well together. I highly recommend to autistics and allistics alike!
Merged review:
This is a comic anthology written by autistic artists depicting various aspects of autistic life such as being diagnosed (including self-diagnosis), meltdowns, masking, autistic joy, and so on. I really appreciated all the different art styles and getting a peek into what being autistic is like. I thought this was formatted well and, although the comics were different, they flowed well together. I highly recommend to autistics and allistics alike!...more
this is the fifth book in the bonds that tie series.
oli’s bonded group has been torn apart, but they’re hellbent on getting revenge2024 reads: 205/250
this is the fifth book in the bonds that tie series.
oli’s bonded group has been torn apart, but they’re hellbent on getting revenge. now, they’re done waiting on the enemies to come to them.
as i guessed in my review of the previous book, what happened at the end of that book was, indeed, reversed. however, i didn’t mind that much, and i actually liked getting nox’s backstory. and, while we got a lot of character development from most everybody, this story was packed with action from start to finish. i can’t wait to see what the conclusion brings!...more
in this collection of essays, leah lakshmi piepzna-samarasinha discusses the politics of disability justice, centering queer, trans2024 reads: 201/250
in this collection of essays, leah lakshmi piepzna-samarasinha discusses the politics of disability justice, centering queer, trans, black, and brown people. i have not read nearly enough books centering disability justice, and unfortunately even fewer centering queer, trans, and non-white people, so i learned a lot from this book. this was also written with disabled people being the intended audience, which i loved to see. i can’t wait to read more from leah lakshmi piepzna-samarasinha!...more
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
content wa2024 reads: 226/250
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
content warnings: child abuse, animal death
cordelia knows her mother is unusual, but it’s more than simple eccentricity that sets her mother apart from others—her mother is a sorcerer. after a suspicious death in their town, her mother whisks cordelia away to a remote manor belonging to a wealthy older man, the squire, and his sister, hester. hester sees the way cordelia acts around her mother, and is determined to save cordelia and her brother from bewitchment.
at some point, i actually need to read the goose girl, because i’ve read a few retellings of it by now and have enjoyed them all. this has also convinced me to give some of t. kingfisher’s other books a try; i’ve tried one, and it wasn’t for me, but since this one was, i’ll check out her other fantasy books!
when i started this book, i didn’t know just how prominent of a character hester would be. i loved getting to know her through her own chapters! as a “spinster,” she’s not your typical fantasy protagonist, but i loved her personality and her relationship with cordelia. i think she played a big part in cordelia’s character growth, as well.
narration: eliza foss and jennifer pickens narrated this book. i think they both did a lovely job of bringing their respective characters, and by extension this story, to life!...more
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this book 2024 reads: 221/250
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this book follows judie, a 1960s folk legend, and her daughter emma, a 1990s alt-rocker. nobody knows why judie quit music at the height of her career, but as tensions rise between judie and emma, these secrets are soon to be revealed.
i love multigenerational stories, and i love reading about fictional celebrities, so i was very excited to start this one! honestly, i was a lot more interested in judie’s story (but that’s not to say i wasn’t also interested in emma’s!). judie came from a strict family and ended up running away to new york to pursue a career in music. i loved judie’s and emma’s stories, individually and combined.
narration: there were three narrators, barrie kreinik, helen laser, and stephanie németh-parker, to reflect different viewpoints. i’m really glad there were different narrators because it helped keep the viewpoints straight and they did a great job of bringing the story to life!...more
first sister, who has no name and no voice, spends her days traveling alongside the soldiers of earth and mars, who own the rights 2024 reads: 227/250
first sister, who has no name and no voice, spends her days traveling alongside the soldiers of earth and mars, who own the rights to her body and soul. her hopes for freedom are dashed when her captain abandons her and she’s forced to remain on the ship with no friends and a new captain, saito ren. the sisterhood forces her to spy on captain ren, but first sister finds herself falling in love instead.
lito val lucius worked hard to become an elite soldier of venus, but was defeated by captain ren, resulting in his partner, hiro, disappearing. when he learns that hiro is alive and a traitor, his new shot at redemption involves hunting him down, though his allegiances become confused.
i’ve been wanting to read this ever since learning it features non-speaking representation. all the sisters undergo an operation that leaves them unable to speak. they communicate through their own form of sign language, which is unknown to those outside of the sisterhood. to get into specifics would be to venture into spoiler territory, but i would say this representation was done well.
one complaint i have would be that the switching of viewpoints was a bit hard to follow along with at times. the only clear distinction between narrators were for the “recordings.” with that said, this still wasn’t too hard to follow along with, so it didn’t affect my reading experience that much!
overall, this was an interesting sci-fi book, and i’m excited to read book two!...more
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