littleredmacks's Reviews (528)

Trans rep
Finding your place
Mysterious disappearances
First love

This book had me deep in my feelings and I think it was well worth the read. 

A great SHORT sequel to Dowry of Blood

written in verse and the audio is narrated by the author which was AMAZING. 
Many of her struggles with religion were struggles I've had myself and I felt so seen. 

4.5 stars 

Basketball romance 

Abusive relationship 

Healing 

 

What a book. So glad I read the trigger warnings before getting into this one. But wow. Kennedy Ryan is a romance goddess. 

 

Let me just say that I had visceral reactions to Caleb in the beginning of the book. VISCERAL. And as it went on those feelings just kept getting bigger and it def triggered my fight or flight a time or a two. 

 

Love it. If you can handle the content it’s a good book. 

 5 star read 

Dracula’s bride 

Letter format 

Lyrical writing 

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR WAS PHENOMENAL 

 

This book explores power dynamics, manipulation, gaslighting, manufactured consent, and how hard it is to leave these abusive relationships. 

 

The author is very intentional with their word choices and it shows and it has an impact on the context and the way you understand the relationship. 

 

  And one thing I love about this book, is even though she is Dracula’s bride, we never hear his name. And she says, and I quote “You did not let me keep my name, so I will strip you of yours.” 

 

Favorite Quotes: 

 

“It was never my intent to murder you, at least not in the beginning.” 

 

"What is more lovely after all, than a monster undone with wanting?” 

 

"I never knew the meaning of enthralled before you" 

 

“You had manufactured my consent every step of the way.” 

 

“You made it an art form this quiet sort of violence.” 

 

“It always amazes me how you could play victim and aggressor at the same time.” 

3.5 stars 

Such lyrical writing that is so well done 

Audiobook was difficult because you can’t see the layout and I feel like that would make a difference to the meanings 

 3.5 stars 

High Fantasy 

Polish Folklore 

Very LOW romance 

 

The premise is something that I found very interesting. You have this 'Dragon' who is really a warlock that takes girls to his tower for ten years and then lets them go. Our main character gets taken and begins to learn magic from him. The start is slow. Very slow. Once you get into it though it gets better. 

 

The narrators voice is very specific. It’s one that I can see a lot of people either living or hating. 

If you like a hard magic system and not a soft magic system, this book is not for you. The magic system is soft. So soft. 

 

Do not come into this expecting a romance. The romance is like the third subplot of the entire thing. 

I much preferred the first half of the book to the second. We took a weird left turn somewhere that didn't quite make me want to keep reading. I think if this had been split into two books, it would have been better and maybe more loose ends would have been wrapped up. I felt like because of how it was set up it felt like the ending and the entire second half was rushed while simultaneously being drug out. It was tough to get through. 

I definitely recommend listening to the audiobook as the author narrates the audiobook. It was very well done. 

4 stars
Palestinian Experience

This collection of poetry is so vast and ranges from rage to laughter to grief and it invites us to look at the Palestinian experience through a different lens than the one western media props up for us. 

The poems are beautiful and smooth and tackles concepts that fundamentally change you. 

Favorite Quotes:
 

“We are driving away/ because we can leave/ on the magic carpet of our navy blue/US passports that carry us/ to safety and no bomb drills/ to a place where the planes are made/and the place where the president will make the call to send the planes/ into my storybook childhood/over the seven hills/ next door to neighbors who will now/become refugees 

 

“In my language/ the word for loss is a wide-open cry,/ a gaping endless possibility 

 

“Let me be/ the one who goes first,/ let my heart never live a day without you./ children should bury their elders 

 

“They call us now before they drop the bombs 

Later int that same poem it says “They call us now to say/ run./ you have 58 seconds from the end of this message/ your house is next./ they think of it as some kind of/ war time curtsey/ it doesn’t matter that/ there is no where to run to/ it means nothing that the borders are closed/ and your papers are worthless/ and mark you only for a life sentence/ in this prison by the sea/ 

 

“If all that breaks our hearts is/ yesterday/ and the silent colonnade/ anticipating/ the dynamite/ if all we love/ is a lost world/ then let the dust/ swallow our names/ let the maps/ beneath our feet/ burn./ if all we are is past,/ who are these millions/ now/ gasping for air. 

 4 stars

Amazing Audiobook 

Favorite Quotes: 
 

“I met a girl 

who holds me 

like she is fighting 

for me 

in her sleep. 

If you ever decide to age, 

love, invite me. 

I’ll retire my bones 

to make you tea, 

and read you poetry.” 

 

 

“I know trauma uses silence as a survival mechanism.” 

 

 

“I know grace and mercy was raised 

by the same single mother.” 

 

 

“Crazy 

are women labeled 

crazy when you feel 

like their rage 

outweighs the evidence 

of their pain?” 

 

 

“The day I died, 

I didn't tell 

my body.”