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623 reviews by:
moonyreadsbystarlight
hopeful
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Death
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Trope-y and sweet! Heavy-handed grumpy/sunshine with several other classic tropes sprinkled in alongside some unique back-story. Would have liked for it to be a bit longer/drawn out. But overall, it was cute
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment
It Did Happen Here: An Antifascist People's History
Mic Crenshaw, Erin Yanke, Alec Dunn, Celina Flores, Julie Perini, Moe Bowstern
hopeful
I have a huge soft spot for oral histories -- and have recently seen some really great and some not as successful ways people have put them together. It Did Happen Here is definitely the former! I've spent the bulk of my reading time this month focused on this and I'm really glad I did.
This is a history of antifascist activism in Portland, largely focused on subculture in the 1980's and 90's. This is full of input from people across these scenes at various points during this time. The chapters each focus on a different event, group, or issue that was big during its time including the murder of Mulugeta Seraw, outside communities organizing with Portland, and individual groups like Skinheads Against Racism and the Coalition for Human Dignity.
Going in, I had a vauge idea that Oregon had a racist past, but didn’t fully understand how intense it was in recent history. I had a much better understanding of racism and the radical right of the South, but clearly (as the title suggests) it definitely did happen here as well. It was really enlightening to see how people did react to that and seeing the reflection of what worked and what retrospectively was really missing.
This is absolutely a book that remains relevent, especially with the political turmoil of today. The insights on organizing here is vital and can be translated in so many other areas and types of groups.
This was a fascinating and well-done book. And to make things better, they have all of the interviews in full on a podcast! So, I have something to listen to as well that can add to what they were able to include here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Misogyny
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
This was an incredible collection. Like all good poetry, it bring you right at the heart of the emotion which makes this collection particularly devistating. The author shows snippets of his story growing up in Gaza under the terror of occupation as well as those of his family and community. The writing itself was beautiful and the style and inspiration varied. For instance, some poems alluded to other authors and their works, while others included photography.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
reflective
This was amazing and beautifully written. This begins looking at the author's childhood and his experience as a gay Black boy in the south. It focuses not just on his understanding of sexuality, but how that impacts many relationships in his life. The middle goes into his time in college, more fraught in understanding how he relates to himself. Throughout the whole book, he has mentioned his mother, but the last section hones in on this relationship at the end of her life.
I can't begin to really talk about how impactful various parts of this were for me. Suffice it to say, this was incredible and moving.
I can't begin to really talk about how impactful various parts of this were for me. Suffice it to say, this was incredible and moving.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Cancer
dark
mysterious
tense
Rating individual issues is hard because they're so short. But, I know I really liked the art and I'm hooked - definitely ready to read the next issue
I was sent an ARC by the publisher for an honest review.
I was sent an ARC by the publisher for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cannibalism, Alcohol
Cult violence and control
adventurous
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Parts of this I really liked, other parts I had mixed feelings about. It had a neat adventure in a portal fantasy and I like how it approached the MC's gender and gender journey. I also liked some of the side characters.
However, I wasn't too sure about parts of the story including the resolution. it's not super surprising that a middle grade would choose to go in the direction of loving someone instead of fighting. Could have been more nuance to that end of things or explanation, but it is a short volume. While I get where it was going with the boys in this, I don't think parts were clear enough, so I get why some people may be confused about parts of the messaging. It tried to spin it as the boys weren't all bad, but it wasn't super clear on that and we didnt get a strong resolution around it. I am also curious to see how Black readers responded to this. I found it weird that the only Black character in the book was characterized as angry/grumpy, while the others in the friend group had very friendly dispositions.
I really wanted to like it more. Parts of it were really endearing, but it had its issues and was a bit rushed.
However, I wasn't too sure about parts of the story including the resolution.
I really wanted to like it more. Parts of it were really endearing, but it had its issues and was a bit rushed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, War
Moderate: Sexism, Transphobia
lighthearted
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Super fun and a bit cheesy but I loved it! The dedication definitely set the tone well ("To all the gays who were obsessed with High School Musical in middle school")
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I liked this overall. I really liked the story building and attention to detail blending fantasy and history. I also liked some of the dynamics within the friend group. I do think that there are a couple characters that I would have liked to see more about that didnt feel as fleshed out as the others. In general, I think the story may have been better if they had been able to make it longer and pace it differently. However, it was still a good story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia
Moderate: Transphobia, Violence
Discussion of residential schools and violence around that
informative
reflective
This was an excellent essay collection about the author's experience of schizoaffective and bipolar disorders. She talks about her experience of it, parts of the process getting diagnoses, dealing with ableism in various contexts, spirituality, media, and more. Not only does it show the mind of the author in some ways, it says a lot about how people with these less socially acceptable symptoms and disorders are treated.
The only real drawback of this was some of the discussion around autism in one of the essays. It felt very dated and I'm not sure how to feel about some of the discussion around functioning labels. So that is why I didn't give it a full 5 stars. The rest of the collection was really solid and very interesting.
The only real drawback of this was some of the discussion around autism in one of the essays. It felt very dated and I'm not sure how to feel about some of the discussion around functioning labels. So that is why I didn't give it a full 5 stars. The rest of the collection was really solid and very interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Rape, Suicide