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1.84k reviews by:
caseythereader
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to Atria Books for the free advance copy of this book.
📚 Wowww, this was horrifying. The world of CROSSHAIRS is only a breath away from our own, and it's easy to see the path we'd take to reach it.
📚 Heavy emphasis on intersectionality and how differently oppression works for queer BIPOC and trans people than for white cis queer people who could pass as straight if they wanted to.
📚 The flashback scenes to Kay's drag days were so joyful and loving.
📚 Great discussions of how allyship is an action, not just a label, and how white people can use their privilege to both lift up BIPOC leaders and to put their bodies on the front lines.
•
What I didn't like:
📚 A lot of the dialogue was stiff and unnatural, which took me out of the story a few times.
•
Content warnings: Ableism, bullying, child abuse, child death, deadnaming, death, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, genocide, gun violence, hate crime, homophobia, Islamophobia, kidnapping, physical abuse, police brutality, racial slurs, racism, rape, religious bigotry, sexism, sexual violence, suicide, suicidal thoughts, torture, transphobia, violence, and xenophobia.
📚 Wowww, this was horrifying. The world of CROSSHAIRS is only a breath away from our own, and it's easy to see the path we'd take to reach it.
📚 Heavy emphasis on intersectionality and how differently oppression works for queer BIPOC and trans people than for white cis queer people who could pass as straight if they wanted to.
📚 The flashback scenes to Kay's drag days were so joyful and loving.
📚 Great discussions of how allyship is an action, not just a label, and how white people can use their privilege to both lift up BIPOC leaders and to put their bodies on the front lines.
•
What I didn't like:
📚 A lot of the dialogue was stiff and unnatural, which took me out of the story a few times.
•
Content warnings: Ableism, bullying, child abuse, child death, deadnaming, death, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, genocide, gun violence, hate crime, homophobia, Islamophobia, kidnapping, physical abuse, police brutality, racial slurs, racism, rape, religious bigotry, sexism, sexual violence, suicide, suicidal thoughts, torture, transphobia, violence, and xenophobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
Thanks to Seal Press for the free advance copy of this book.
MEDIOCRE is one of those books that makes the reader feel like they've put on a new pair of glasses and everything is clearer. So much of what Oluo dissects in this book are ideas that I've seen half-formed in many places, but she really expands on them and places them into the larger social context in a way that made lightbulbs go off all over the place for me. 📚
•
The thesis of this book is that American men have been told the world is theirs, and when that wasn't delivered, they needed scapegoats - women, BIPOC, poor people - anyone who isn't them is taking away what is rightfully theirs. 📚
•
Oluo traces several threads throughout American history - from the Wild West to the NFL - that have converged over time to bring us to where we are today. I feel like I have a much deeper understanding of these social forces now, and am better equipped to have conversations about them in the context of our current political landscape. I think if you are still trying to grasp all the reasons why Trump voters act the way they do, this book is a must-read. 📚
•
Content warnings: Antisemitism, bullying, death, gun violence, hate crime, Islamophobia, mass/school shootings, misogyny, physical abuse, police brutality, racial slurs, racism, slavery, suicidal thoughts, violence, and xenophobia.
MEDIOCRE is one of those books that makes the reader feel like they've put on a new pair of glasses and everything is clearer. So much of what Oluo dissects in this book are ideas that I've seen half-formed in many places, but she really expands on them and places them into the larger social context in a way that made lightbulbs go off all over the place for me. 📚
•
The thesis of this book is that American men have been told the world is theirs, and when that wasn't delivered, they needed scapegoats - women, BIPOC, poor people - anyone who isn't them is taking away what is rightfully theirs. 📚
•
Oluo traces several threads throughout American history - from the Wild West to the NFL - that have converged over time to bring us to where we are today. I feel like I have a much deeper understanding of these social forces now, and am better equipped to have conversations about them in the context of our current political landscape. I think if you are still trying to grasp all the reasons why Trump voters act the way they do, this book is a must-read. 📚
•
Content warnings: Antisemitism, bullying, death, gun violence, hate crime, Islamophobia, mass/school shootings, misogyny, physical abuse, police brutality, racial slurs, racism, slavery, suicidal thoughts, violence, and xenophobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Grief, Mass/school shootings
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thanks to Del Rey Books for the free advance copy of this book.
📚 This was so fun to read! Lots of authors I already loved, and I discovered a few new-to-me favorites.
📚 These stories are all so nuanced and thoughtful about what life for peripheral characters in the movie might be like. Some we already know, like Wedge Antilles, and some are completely fabricated, like a scientist studying ice slugs on Hoth.
📚 My favorites were the stories from the points of view of animals - I never expected to feel so much for a tauntaun.
📚 Plus! The wide variety of authors means this collection includes own voices stories for characters of color, women, queer characters, and more.
📚 I do wish some stories had been longer, but this is my perpetual gripe with short story collections. If you're a Star Wars fan, it's worth checking out. Now I need to go rewatch them all!
📚 This was so fun to read! Lots of authors I already loved, and I discovered a few new-to-me favorites.
📚 These stories are all so nuanced and thoughtful about what life for peripheral characters in the movie might be like. Some we already know, like Wedge Antilles, and some are completely fabricated, like a scientist studying ice slugs on Hoth.
📚 My favorites were the stories from the points of view of animals - I never expected to feel so much for a tauntaun.
📚 Plus! The wide variety of authors means this collection includes own voices stories for characters of color, women, queer characters, and more.
📚 I do wish some stories had been longer, but this is my perpetual gripe with short story collections. If you're a Star Wars fan, it's worth checking out. Now I need to go rewatch them all!
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In a world where magic is sung, a powerful mage named Cadence has been forced to torture her country's disgraced nobility at her ruthless queen's bidding. But when she is reunited with her childhood friend, a noblewoman with ties to the underground rebellion, she must finally make a choice: Take a stand to free their country from oppression, or follow in the queen’s footsteps and become a monster herself. 📚
•
What I liked:
📚 Queer PHANTOM OF THE OPERA retelling? Yes, please!
📚 I loved the magic system here. I loved the idea of singing to marshal your magic, and that you could tell a lot about the mage by their voice.
📚 Such wonderful imagery, from the beauty of the Queen's stronghold to the horrors of the region where those expelled from the court are sent.
📚 The tension between the protagonists felt real - it wasn't insta-love, but also the barriers they faced weren't just pointless roadblocks. 📚
•
What I didn't like:
📚 It's a pretty basic YA dystopia setup. This isn't necessarily a knock on the book, just something to know going in.
📚 I do wish some pieces of the world's history and nuances of the magic system were more detailed - I could tell there was more in the author's brain that didn't make it into the book. 📚
•
Content warnings: alcoholism, blood, death, homophobia (mild), physical abuse, torture, violence, and vomit.
•
What I liked:
📚 Queer PHANTOM OF THE OPERA retelling? Yes, please!
📚 I loved the magic system here. I loved the idea of singing to marshal your magic, and that you could tell a lot about the mage by their voice.
📚 Such wonderful imagery, from the beauty of the Queen's stronghold to the horrors of the region where those expelled from the court are sent.
📚 The tension between the protagonists felt real - it wasn't insta-love, but also the barriers they faced weren't just pointless roadblocks. 📚
•
What I didn't like:
📚 It's a pretty basic YA dystopia setup. This isn't necessarily a knock on the book, just something to know going in.
📚 I do wish some pieces of the world's history and nuances of the magic system were more detailed - I could tell there was more in the author's brain that didn't make it into the book. 📚
•
Content warnings: alcoholism, blood, death, homophobia (mild), physical abuse, torture, violence, and vomit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Thanks to Books Forward PR for the free copy of this book.
HANDS UP DON'T SHOOT is an academic look at the social forces behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It includes extensive quotes and interviews with protestors on the ground in these cities, as well as other residents, police, and more. It breaks down very neatly both the reasoning people make for protesting, and also the calculations police officers are making in these moments and the social pressure both groups of people are reacting to. 📚
•
If you've been paying attention to or involved in BLM protests over the past few years, there isn't a lot of new information here, but it is still validating to see hard data about what's happening, and to know it's not all in your head. 📚
HANDS UP DON'T SHOOT is an academic look at the social forces behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It includes extensive quotes and interviews with protestors on the ground in these cities, as well as other residents, police, and more. It breaks down very neatly both the reasoning people make for protesting, and also the calculations police officers are making in these moments and the social pressure both groups of people are reacting to. 📚
•
If you've been paying attention to or involved in BLM protests over the past few years, there isn't a lot of new information here, but it is still validating to see hard data about what's happening, and to know it's not all in your head. 📚
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Police brutality
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
📚 Gorgeous writing. Melancholy, pretty, and loving.
📚 Both protagonists were lowkey queer.
📚 The way the story and discovery of who knew what unspooled was masterful (and heartbreaking).
📚 I did think it dragged a bit in the middle, but I loved Addie and her spirit so much that it wasn't unbearable.
📚 Both protagonists were lowkey queer.
📚 The way the story and discovery of who knew what unspooled was masterful (and heartbreaking).
📚 I did think it dragged a bit in the middle, but I loved Addie and her spirit so much that it wasn't unbearable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
📚 Rin is an incredible protagonist. She's more than just your plucky heroine - she's continually making mistakes and learning (and sometimes not learning) and it's fantastic to see a woman character allowed to act that way.
📚 It's also amazing to read an epic fantasy story based on real history that isn't European history.
📚 I loved that every character learned and grew and changed, often after learning more about people different from them.
📚 This world is so layered and detailed, and the characters struggle with really big questions brought on by the social and political intricacies of the story.
📚 Some of the writing was a little heavy handed, but I feel like that can be attributed to the fact that the author was SO YOUNG when she wrote this (seriously, how?)
📚 It's extremely graphic. I guess that's not necessarily a dislike, more like a warning. Everyone will tell you how grim this book is, take them seriously.
📚 It's also amazing to read an epic fantasy story based on real history that isn't European history.
📚 I loved that every character learned and grew and changed, often after learning more about people different from them.
📚 This world is so layered and detailed, and the characters struggle with really big questions brought on by the social and political intricacies of the story.
📚 Some of the writing was a little heavy handed, but I feel like that can be attributed to the fact that the author was SO YOUNG when she wrote this (seriously, how?)
📚 It's extremely graphic. I guess that's not necessarily a dislike, more like a warning. Everyone will tell you how grim this book is, take them seriously.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma