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793 reviews

Jessica Hoppe’s First in the Family is a moving memoir that plunges into the turbulent depths of family trauma, addiction, and the deceptive allure of the American Dream. From the start, Hoppe unearths her battle with alcoholism, locating its roots in the trauma that has woven through her life and that of her ancestors, especially her mother’s family in Honduras. Her struggles with addiction are neither isolated nor inexplicable; instead, they are framed as part of a broader and deeply inherited narrative of intergenerational harm. Hoppe brilliantly likens the American Dream to “the ultimate gateway drug,” its promises tantalizing yet treacherous, driving individuals toward exploitative systems that extract more than they offer.

Hoppe delves into Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including racial trauma and socioeconomic precarity, which led her to alcohol as a means of coping. She reflects on her family’s pursuit of the American Dream, one marked by instability, periods of homelessness, and the constant specter of financial insecurity. For Hoppe, these were not just obstacles; they were the circumstances that shaped her sense of self and survival. Her parents’ attempts at achieving stability through property ownership were thwarted by an unjust housing market and the profound limitations placed on immigrant families within a capitalist framework. As she learns more about her family’s Honduran roots, she sees how historical trauma—spanning from the rule of dictatorships to the U.S. interventions in Honduras’ so-called “Banana Republic” era—has a throughline, culminating in her grandfather’s alcoholism, her mother’s experiences, and her own struggles.

Hoppe’s writing shines in its accessibility and emotional resonance. There’s a poetic cadence to her reflections, like in the line, “The anesthetizing power of the American Dream dulled my sense and blunted the focus of my logic— it worked by design.” Her vulnerability brings readers into the grip of her addiction and recovery, which is depicted as a continuous, often agonizing process of choosing oneself, a mantra she urges for breaking generational trauma. Yet, the narrative shifts near the end, turning to a broader analysis of systemic oppression and addiction. While important, this section lacks the deeply personal and magnetic quality of the earlier parts, making it somewhat less engaging.

While the memoir loses some momentum toward the end, First in the Family is a profound testament to resilience and radical self-compassion. Hoppe’s story is a call to confront our inherited traumas, honor our right to healing, and redefine recovery through a compassionate, community-centered lens. With unflinching honesty and poetic grace, she captures the liberation and loneliness of breaking cycles as the “first” in her family to address what was once shrouded in secrecy. For anyone who has grappled with intergenerational trauma or questioned their place in this country’s unforgiving systems, Hoppe’s story is one of both solace and solidarity.

📖 Recommended For: Readers drawn to introspective memoirs, anyone grappling with generational trauma and recovery, those curious about immigrant experiences within the American Dream, fans of poetic prose, and supporters of community-based, anti-racist recovery.

🔑 Key Themes: Intergenerational Trauma, Addiction as Survival, The American Dream and Capitalism, Family and Cultural Heritage, Anti-Racist and Decolonial Healing.

Sunny Moraine's Your Shadow Half Remains is a harrowing, introspective journey through a post-apocalyptic landscape where survival teeters on the edge of isolation-induced madness. The novel follows Riley, who has spent two years alone in the house where her grandparents died in a murder-suicide after being infected by a rage-inducing virus. When Ellis, a mysterious stranger, appears in the woods, Riley’s buried need for human contact clashes with her survival instincts. As strange occurrences escalate, the lines between reality and delusion blur, and Riley begins to doubt her own senses. Moraine's haunting prose pulls readers into Riley’s fractured mind, combining sensory detail with lyrical unease in a style that lingers like a ghost in each chapter.

Thematically, Your Shadow Half Remains explores the fragility of humanity and resilience in the face of endless crisis. Moraine digs deep into how trauma, grief, and loneliness alter our perceptions of self and others, particularly in a world where every social interaction could be fatal. Riley’s struggle with her own sanity speaks to the isolation and numbness many people experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The novel’s examination of agency—how anger can become a comforting illusion of control—is especially poignant. It asks unsettling questions about the lengths we might go to survive and the violence we're capable of, even toward ourselves. The relationship between Riley and Ellis reveals the primal need for connection, complicated by the terror of proximity.

For readers who love horror that unravels within the mind, Moraine’s novel is consuming. It’s both chilling and atmospheric, pushing the limits of psychological horror with a story that feels disturbingly plausible. While some may crave more backstory on the pandemic itself, the focus on human experience keeps the tension tight and the stakes visceral. The ambiguity of the ending, reminiscent of Inception, leaves just enough for readers to question Riley's final grasp on reality, making it a story that echoes long after the last page. This introspective, disquieting horror novel strikes a fine balance between the fear of being alone and the terror of being together, earning a solid 4 stars for its emotional depth and psychological complexity.

📖 Recommended For: Fans of psychological horror, readers drawn to introspective, lyrical prose, anyone interested in exploring themes of isolation and human connection, and lovers of atmospheric, character-driven thrillers.

🔑 Key Themes: Survival and Numbness, Isolation and Human Contact, Fragility of Sanity, Violence and Agency, Ambiguity of Reality.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! Leung’s debut releases in the US from WW Norton on October 22nd, 2024.

How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster by Muriel Leung is a hauntingly lyrical meditation on love, survival, and the human connections that tether us in times of crisis. Set in a post-apocalyptic New York City ravaged by acid rain, fires, and military checkpoints, Leung’s novel follows Mira, a woman separated from her partner, Mal, and struggling to build a life with her mother and the other residents of their apartment building. As the city around them collapses, the characters confront both the literal and emotional ghosts of their pasts, asking what it means to love, grieve, and find community in the face of disaster.

Leung’s prose is achingly beautiful, weaving a dreamlike, ghostly atmosphere with fragmented, evocative sentences that mirror the disorientation of living in an unrecognizable world. The writing is introspective and deeply existential, delving into themes of grief, memory, and the weight of trauma that haunts both the individual and the collective. The novel’s obsession with ghosts—whether literal, metaphorical, or emotional—adds layers to its exploration of how the past clings to the present, making it difficult to move forward. Through Mira’s journey and the alternating perspectives of her neighbors, Leung paints a vivid picture of community care and the resiliency required to survive the apocalypse together.

The book’s themes are richly complex, examining love and loss in equal measure. At its core, How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster questions whether love is possible amidst chaos, and how relationships, both chosen and familial, offer solace in the darkest times. The novel’s characters are beautifully flawed, all of them grappling with their own sense of isolation, longing, and fear of abandonment. Mira’s desperation to reunite with Mal, despite her burgeoning relationship with Sad, speaks to the powerful pull of unresolved grief and the ways in which love can become a haunting force in itself.

While the novel’s structure, with its shifting perspectives, occasionally feels disjointed, Leung’s world-building is immersive and poignant. The apocalyptic setting provides a perfect backdrop for the novel’s reflective and existential musings on the fragility of human connection. Though plot takes a backseat to atmosphere and emotion, the novel shines in its exploration of how people find meaning, hope, and even love in the face of unnameable disaster. I found myself enchanted by Leung’s characters and her haunting, poetic prose. Ultimately, How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that leaves a lasting impression, reminding us of the resilience of love and connection even in the darkest of times.

📖 Recommended For: Readers who enjoy introspective and poetic prose, those fascinated by post-apocalyptic settings, fans of stories centered on community care and chosen family, and anyone who appreciates existential reflections on love and loss.

🔑 Key Themes: Survival in Crisis, Ghosts and Haunting, Love and Grief, Community and Isolation, The Fragility of Human Connection.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! This book is out now from HarperOne.

Kardin Rabin and Jennifer Mann’s The Secret Language of The Body invites readers on a transformative journey toward healing by emphasizing the profound connection between the mind and body. The authors articulate that our bodies are not merely passive vessels; rather, they are active participants in our emotional experiences. By delving into the latest advancements in nervous system science, they present a compelling argument that understanding the language of our bodies is vital for addressing emotional wounds and unmet needs. The book is divided into three illuminating sections—mind, body, and human—allowing for a comprehensive exploration of cognition, somatics, and the impact of developmental trauma and attachment wounds on our well-being.

Through the A I R method—Awareness, Interruption, and Redesign—Rabin and Mann provide readers with practical tools for self-healing. They emphasize the importance of recognizing dysregulation, interrupting maladaptive patterns, and reshaping those behaviors into healthier responses. The authors skillfully weave together scientific insights with patient vignettes that bring their theories to life, illustrating how trauma can manifest physically and emotionally. By challenging the traditional mind-body dualism, they highlight how our lived experiences are deeply intertwined with our physiological responses, making a compelling case for the inadequacy of conventional talk therapies in addressing the root of our struggles.

Rabin and Mann explore what they term the “nervous system paradox,” explaining how our nervous system, in its quest for safety, can inadvertently lead us into patterns of dysregulation that hinder our ability to heal. They underscore the necessity of cultivating mindfulness, interoception, and curiosity to navigate the complexities of trauma, allowing us to listen to our bodies and release the emotional burdens trapped within. Their emphasis on neuroplasticity instills hope, reminding us that healing is not only possible but also a dynamic process that unfolds at its own pace.

While the authors' approach to individualistic healing may resonate with many, it also raises concerns. I generally prefer a more collective framework for healing. Additionally, as a trauma-practitioner-in-training, I worry that readers may attempt the A I R practices without adequate support, potentially leading to re-traumatization during the vulnerable initial stages of healing. Creating a safe space with a trained therapist is crucial for effectively navigating these transformative practices.

Overall, The Secret Language of The Body is an insightful and informative read for anyone eager to deepen their understanding of the nervous system and its role in emotional and physical healing. Rabin and Mann’s blend of academic rigor and empathetic guidance invites readers to embark on a self-discovery journey, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to heal their mind and body holistically.

📖 Recommended For: Readers interested in the intricate connection between the mind and body, those seeking practical tools for emotional healing, fans of somatic practices, and anyone eager to understand the role of the nervous system in trauma recovery.

🔑 Key Themes: Nervous System Regulation, Healing and Self-Discovery, Mind-Body Connection, Trauma and Resilience, Emotional and Physiological Awareness, Neuroplasticity and Healing Practices.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is a fierce, unapologetic masterpiece that blends science fiction, Chinese history, and feminist rebellion into a searing tale of vengeance and liberation. In a world where girls are sacrificed to power giant war machines, Wu Zetian, the novel's protagonist, stands as a force of unflinching defiance, determined to dismantle the patriarchal society that seeks to destroy her. Zhao’s direct, sharp prose brings Zetian’s rage to life, grounding her personal quest for revenge in a larger critique of the oppressive systems that devalue and discard women.

Zetian’s journey begins with a personal vendetta—the murder of her sister by a male pilot—but quickly transforms into a mission to tear down the very system that treats girls as expendable. When Zetian kills the man responsible for her sister’s death, she earns the title of "Iron Widow," a rare and feared female pilot capable of sacrificing men to power the war machines known as Chrysalises. Her defiance becomes a symbol of feminist resistance, challenging not just the men who uphold the system but also the women who enable it. Inspired by the real-life Chinese Empress Wu Zetian, Zhao’s heroine is a force of nature, her journey fueled by fury and a hunger for liberation.

The world-building in Iron Widow is nothing short of ambitious. Zhao draws on Chinese history and mythology, creating a richly imagined society that blends futuristic technology with ancient traditions. The concept of girls being sacrificed to power mechas feels both chillingly futuristic and deeply rooted in historical patriarchal violence, making the novel’s feminist themes all the more potent. Zetian’s rebellion isn’t just personal—it’s a full-scale war against the systems that have oppressed women for generations.

Zetian’s relationships with co-pilots Li Shimin and Yizhi add another layer of complexity to the story. Their triad challenges traditional ideas of romance and loyalty, exploring themes of polyamory, interdependence, and bisexuality in subtle but powerful ways. The emotional depth of their bond, especially as they navigate a brutal world together, underscores the novel’s exploration of non-traditional relationship structures and challenges gender norms with nuance and care.

At its core, Iron Widow is a defiant rejection of societal expectations. Zhao doesn’t shy away from heavy themes, tackling patriarchal violence, gender roles, and systemic oppression head-on. While the novel’s feminist critique is often intense and at times heavy-handed, this only reinforces the urgency of its message. Zetian’s rage, her refusal to bow to the world’s demands, and her unrelenting pursuit of justice make Iron Widow a powerful, exhilarating read.

For anyone seeking a story of rebellion, resistance, and the reclamation of power, Iron Widow is a must-read. Zhao’s fierce writing, bold themes, and unforgettable characters make this novel an electrifying entry into the science fiction canon. I can’t wait to see where Zetian’s journey takes her next.

📖 Recommended For: Fans of feminist rebellion and fierce heroines, readers who enjoy stories blending science fiction with historical influences, those interested in themes of dismantling patriarchy and non-traditional relationships, and anyone who loves unapologetically powerful characters like in The Hunger Games or Chain-Gang All Stars.

🔑 Key Themes: Feminist Resistance, Patriarchal Violence, Reclamation of Power, Polyamory and Non-Traditional Relationships, Vengeance and Liberation, Chinese Mythology and History.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! This novella is out from University of Nevada Press now.

Yxta Maya Murray’s A History of Hazardous Objects is a brief yet powerful meditation on science, mythology, trauma, and survival in a world besieged by crisis. Set in 2020, the novella follows Laura, a Mexican American astrophysicist, as she grapples with the simultaneous pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter uprisings, and the looming possibility of asteroid impact. Laura’s career revolves around tracking Potentially Hazardous Objects (PHOs) like asteroids and comets, but her life is also shaped by the mystical stories her mother told about cosmic destruction. Caught between science and myth, Laura struggles to protect her family from both earthly and celestial threats while navigating personal loss and societal upheaval.

Murray’s writing is emotionally charged and lyrical, with moments of fragmented, poetic reflection that mirror Laura’s fractured mental state. The narrative deftly shifts between the practicalities of Laura’s day-to-day life—caring for her husband, son, and elderly mother—and the larger existential questions she faces. These questions are symbolized by the asteroids she studies and the crises unfolding around her, making the novella a profound exploration of fear and resilience. The story blends historical and scientific fact with Laura’s imaginative retellings of the lives of real-life scientists, creating a tension between the objective and the fantastical that reflects the uncertainty of living in a world on the brink of collapse.

At its core, A History of Hazardous Objects explores how trauma and catastrophe shape human understanding and connection. As Laura delves deeper into her research on asteroids, she begins to see the scientists she admires as figures shaped by their own personal losses, much like herself. This realization underscores one of the book’s central themes: that suffering can lead to insight, and that understanding the world’s dangers—both cosmic and human—might ultimately help us protect one another. The tension between hope and despair is palpable throughout the novella, with hope often depicted as risky, yet necessary for survival.

Though the novella is ambitious in its scope, some elements, like the opening chapter and Laura’s imaginative vignettes, feel disjointed at times. Still, by the end, Murray ties these threads together in a way that feels both poignant and meaningful. A History of Hazardous Objects is a thought-provoking, experimental work that challenges readers to reflect on the relationship between trauma, discovery, and the fragile beauty of human connection. I will definitely be seeking out more of Murray’s work after this insightful little book! 

📖 Recommended For: Fans of introspective, lyrical prose, readers interested in the intersection of science and mythology, those drawn to stories about navigating crises on both personal and societal levels, and admirers of speculative fiction with emotional depth.

🔑 Key Themes: Survival and Resilience, Fear and Uncertainty, Trauma and Scientific Discovery, Family and Connection, Mythology and Cosmic Threats.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC! Soft DNF - This is just not working for me right now. I'm so bored. It seems likely the marketing on this book was off - I don't actually think there's much Jeffrey Epstein in it. This is also way more rote history and way less political critique than I was expecting. The one thing I was enjoying was the insight into how deeply Victoria's Secret's functioning and growth was influenced by 20th century American capitalism. It seems unlikely this will exceed a 3.5 star rating for me, but I'm still interested in the capitalism history stuff, so will try to circle back to this at another time. 

Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder is an electrifying exploration of motherhood, identity, and the primal rage that often simmers just beneath the surface of womanhood. Told through the lens of a woman undergoing a literal transformation into a dog, Yoder’s novel digs deep into the societal constraints placed on women, particularly mothers, and the visceral need to reclaim a sense of self amidst the suffocating pressures of domestic life.

At its heart, Nightbitch interrogates the tension between social expectations of women as selfless caregivers and the internal desires for autonomy and fulfillment. The protagonist’s metamorphosis—from a burnt-out mother struggling to balance her artistic ambitions with the relentless demands of motherhood to a feral creature driven by instinct and desire—acts as both a literal and metaphorical journey. Yoder’s prose captures this transformation in all its messiness and madness, laced with dark humor and biting political critique. The narrator’s body begins to sprout fur, her teeth sharpen, and she develops an insatiable craving for raw meat. These changes echo the internal fury of feeling caged by patriarchal expectations, amplifying the feminist critique of how motherhood is often packaged as a holy, selfless calling, while leaving little space for women’s personal fulfillment.

One of the book’s standout elements is Yoder’s writing style, which mirrors the protagonist’s descent into animalistic chaos. The prose is fast-paced and frantic, alternating between back-to-back sentence fragments and more meandering, reflective passages. This rhythmic shift creates an atmosphere of tension, pulling readers into the protagonist’s unraveling psyche. The transformation itself becomes a metaphor for the feral nature of feminine rage—the kind of rage that is long suppressed but eventually bursts free, teeth bared, demanding release.

What makes Nightbitch particularly striking is its feminist lens on motherhood, especially how the protagonist slowly realizes she might hate being a mother, or at least hate the version of motherhood society has imposed on her. This nuanced exploration of motherhood’s isolating aspects resonates with the broader conversation on how women’s needs are often sidelined or pathologized. As she confronts other moms in the story—who, in a darkly comedic twist, try to recruit her into a multi-level marketing scheme—there’s a sharp critique of wellness culture and the commodification of self-care.

While Nightbitch offers moments of wild, cathartic liberation, particularly in the protagonist’s ultimate embrace of her transformation, it also leaves some threads hanging. The relationship between the protagonist’s transformation, the mythical elements introduced through The Field Guide to Magical Women, and the dynamics of the Book Babies group feel loosely connected, not quite resolved by the end. Additionally, the presence of the protagonist’s son as a central figure in her journey to reclaim power may feel limiting to readers seeking stories of femme liberation untethered to motherhood.

Overall, Yoder delivers a fiercely original narrative that balances ferocity and tenderness, exploring the raw edges of womanhood. Though I craved a more radical collective femme liberation, the protagonist's individual journey remains deeply compelling. For readers drawn to weird, visceral explorations of rage and identity, Nightbitch is a triumph, offering both biting social commentary and a poetic deep dive into feral femininity. 

📖 Recommended For: Readers drawn to visceral, darkly comedic explorations of motherhood, fans of feminist horror, anyone interested in themes of transformation and feral femininity, and lovers of Sarah Rose Etter and Carmen Maria Machado.

🔑 Key Themes: The Repression of Anger, Motherhood and Identity, Feral Femininity, Patriarchal Constraints, Isolation and Longing for Community, Physical and Psychological Transformation.

Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire, edited by Alice Wong, is a transformative collection that explores the intersections of disability, love, care, and desire. Through diverse perspectives, this anthology pushes back against ableist ideas of intimacy and expands our understanding of what it means to love and connect as disabled individuals in a world that often marginalizes us.

One of the collection's most poignant themes is the reclamation of intimacy as a form of resistance. Many of the essays explore the experience of receiving care, often evoking the importance of “disability doulas,” someone who intimately understands the complex rhythms of navigating daily life with chronic pain. Many of the explorations of managing pain while still embracing joy and connection reminded me of the quiet but profound intimacy inherent in disabled life. For example, the subtlety of asking, "Is it Old or New pain?" felt like a radical redefinition of how disabled people might frame their experiences in ways that give them agency, rather than the usual ableist framing of pain.

I also found Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha's essay, “republics of desire: disabled lineages of longing,” on intergenerational trauma and solitude deeply moving. Leah captures the essence of how disabled and neurodivergent people often navigate relationships in ways that may not fit normative ideas of "Real Sex" or "Real Relationships" but are no less powerful. This essay hit home as it articulated the significance of fantasy and desire in safe, controlled spaces—where queer, neurodivergent spoonies can find pleasure and connection without fear of exploitation or harm. Leah’s words about disabled femme longing being capable of powering the world left me breathless.

Similarly, the concept of “crip kinship” weaves through many of the essays, resonating with other explorations of care politics and family abolition. These reflections on caregiving, chosen family, and collective intimacy feel particularly vital. This anthology shows how disabled people create new ways of caring for one another and themselves, outside of the traditional, often harmful structures of care dictated by ableism.

Alice Wong’s curation is masterful in its embrace of intersectionality, showcasing the overlap between disability, kink, sex work, race, and queerness. Essays like Carrie Wade’s Know Me Where It Hurts: Sex, Kink, and Cerebral Palsy challenge the desexualization of disabled bodies and emphasize how adaptability can lead to expansive sexual and emotional lives. Meanwhile, Khadijah Queen’s The Exhaustion of Pretense and the Illusions of Care reflects on the tension between needing to perform wellness and the deep desire for authenticity—another form of intimacy that disabled people navigate daily.

While most of the book is deeply compelling, I found the final section somewhat lacking in cohesion. The focus on intimacy became muddled, and the connection to the collection’s earlier, more radical explorations felt lost. Nevertheless, Disability Intimacy remains a powerful and necessary anthology. It redefines intimacy in ways that embrace vulnerability, adaptability, and the deep love that disabled people show themselves and each other as they resist a world not built for them. Alice Wong has once again brought together a collection that is not only radical but also deeply intimate in its own right.

📖 Recommended For: Readers interested in exploring the intersection of disability and intimacy, those who value personal essays on love, care, and desire, fans of Alice Wong’s previous work, and anyone curious about how disabled and neurodivergent people redefine pleasure, intimacy, and liberation.

🔑 Key Themes: Disability and Intimacy, Crip Kinship and Community Care, Pleasure and Adaptability, Vulnerability and Resilience, Desexualization and Kink, Intersectionality in Disabled Identity.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! This collection releases in the US from Graywolf Press on September 30th, 2024.

The Hormone of Darkness: A Playlist is a mesmerizing and surreal collection of poetry by Peruvian poet Tilsa Otta, translated into English by Farid Matuk. Spanning work published between 2004 and 2018, this bilingual collection pulls readers into a world where beginnings and endings blur, and autonomy is reclaimed in the face of social and existential constraints. Otta’s poems chafe against boundaries—whether they are imposed by society, God, or the speaker’s own sense of self—creating space for new forms of desire, love, and resistance.

Otta’s poetry is wildly experimental, dreamlike, and often deeply abstract, with a rhythm that carries the reader through fragmented reflections on life, pleasure, and grief. There’s a raw beauty in her vivid imagery, which invites us to question reality and meaning while feeling deeply the weight of human experience. The collection doesn’t shy away from the bizarre or the kinky; instead, it fully embraces queerness, both in identity and form, pushing the boundaries of what poetry can be. Themes of existential questioning and the tension between the material and spiritual worlds recur throughout, with a constant undercurrent of yearning for freedom.

However, the collection’s abstract nature occasionally left me lost in its tangled thoughts. At times, the poems’ resistance to conventional narrative made it difficult to find an entry point. Still, this only reinforces the collection's relentless desire for expansiveness, reflecting the speaker's ongoing struggle for hope and autonomy. Though challenging, The Hormone of Darkness is an evocative exploration of queerness, creativity, and rebellion, leaving readers with more questions than answers—just as it should. Overall, I rated it 3.5 stars for its bold experimentation, even if some poems felt a little too abstract to fully connect with.

📖 Recommended For: Readers who enjoy surreal, experimental poetry, those interested in exploring the fluidity of identity and desire, anyone who values boundary-pushing, queer narratives, fans of Anne Carson.

🔑 Key Themes: Autonomy and Rebellion, Existential Questioning, Queerness and Identity, Desire and Pleasure, Transcendence and Spirituality.