ambershelf's Reviews (1.3k)

In this poetry collection from an exciting new voice, Tibble explores young adulthood as a Māori woman in the context of New Zealand's colonial past, myths of white feminism, and how her identity fits into the modern world. There are references to Kardashians, sugar daddies, and Twilight that had me grinning. Depending on one's familiarity with pop culture, these references could make you feel like you're chatting with a friend or not understand what the poems mean. I don't always get everything in poetry, but I really enjoyed this hilarious yet heartfelt collection about what it means to be a young Māori woman.

gifted by the publisher

In this essay collection, LaPointe draws on family stories and archives to explore indigenous identity, decolonizing one's environment & lifestyle, and being queer. I loved reading about her relationship with her late great-grandma and their work on reclaiming indigenous art and heritage. LaPointe's essay on "Indigenous love" that doesn't emphasize ownership but compassion is another standout. With straightforward yet heartfelt writing, TS shows that while there are traumatic pasts, there's also love, pride, and strength in Native communities.

Two mixed-race Māori queer siblings navigate young adulthood of unrequited love, heartbreaks, and a loving yet sometimes chaotic family. G&V is a character-driven novel filled with love and laughter. The readers learn about the duo and their family dynamic through character vignettes alternating between the two siblings' POVs. While G&V is mostly plotless and meanders until the last 10%, I loved the balance of hilarious and earnest moments. I recommend this joyous celebration of love in all its forms to those who enjoy no-plot-all-vibe character studies.

An autofiction drawing on folklore and family history, this genre-blending story explores a man's journey to reconnect with his Paiwan identity in rapidly modernizing Taiwan. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of Paiwan culture, from hunting wild animals and hearing his grandparents' lives under Japanese occupation to exploring the disappearing wine culture due to dispossession. I appreciated learning more about Paiwan traditions with a blend of hilarious, nostalgic, and melancholic stories.

In book 1, MOON OF THE CRUSTED SNOW, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. As tensions grow, an unlikely leader named Evan Whitesky returns to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping his community thrive again. MOON OF THE TURNING LEAVES is set a decade after the initial apocalypse. Following a group of brave explorers, including Evan and his daughter, Nangohns, they embark on a mission to explore the possibility of moving back to their ancestral home.

MOON OF THE... series explores survival in the face of systemic disasters. CRUSTED SNOW exposes the truth that those living on reservations face imperfect infrastructure before catastrophes. TURNING LEAVES further examines the unwavering strength of the Anishinaabe community. CRUSTED SNOW focuses on preservation, while TURNING LEAVES examines sustainability. From how to keep oneself alive to how to ensure the success of future generations, I loved seeing the progression of this series that reflects a thriving Indigenous society through resilience, community building, and solidarity.

While marketed as a sequel, TURNING LEAVES can be read as a standalone. Just note that it contains a major spoiler for book 1! I also think the Goodreads blurb gives away a little too much. It's a series that works best when you know very little going in. I'd categorize both books as literary suspense instead of thrillers due to their pacing. CRUSTED SNOW has a very slow start focusing more on characters and movingquickly in the last 20%. TURNING LEAVES has more even pacing throughout the story, with multiple twists and turns.