papercraftalex's Reviews (368)

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. It is very well organized and so easy to read in chunks. I read a little bit before bed each night and it was a great way to relax and reflect. The lessons in it are for all people, not just Christians, not just people interested in Quakers (although I did learn a lot about Quakers). It has very actionable tips to lead an overall better life. He does incorporate god and Christianity often, but it wasn't preachy and things like being a good steward to the Earth, speaking kindly, treating others well, are all essential to being a good person. I will absolutely be reading this again in the future!

I picked up this collection of poetry at a library's used book sale not expecting a lesson in Vietnamese history and a fantastic introduction to Hô Xuân Huong. Hô Xuân Huong was a 18th and 19th century concubine that wrote poetry in a way that fought against social norms, specifically by having each poem be a double entendre. None of the poetry felt crass, it always felt like a way of embracing humanity and femininity. While I am only capable of reading the translation, I was blown away by her talent. It reminded me of the Persian poet Forough Farrokhzad. I highly recommend. 

This is such a beautiful multi-generational novel. The juxtaposition of Talia, born in America but raised in Colombia, and Karina, born in Colombia but raised in America, was so telling of the immigrant experience. The character voices were so strong and they all felt very real. The writing was lyrical and truthful. I highly recommend. 

This was an absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful collection of poetry that I hope everyone gets the chance to read. The way the author immortalized his grandmother and the history of Palestinian colonization was perfect. He made such terrible things into a work of art.

This is the perfect beginner's finance book. It breaks things down so easily without shame in a very easy to read way. I love how Tori never makes anyone feel bad if they've made financial mistakes in the past and she acknowledges systemic issues that keep people (especially women and people of color) impoverished. It's definitely a book you should read slowly so you can absorb all the information and do the journal prompts (which are a really important addition; knowing why you make the decisions you make allows you to actually change). You don't have to be a woman to read this; Tori includes many other voices too to speak on different topics, which I appreciated. Financial Feminist is really worth the read whether you're just beginning to enter the adult world or fully immersed, whether you're in massive amounts of debt or you have a massive savings account you don't want to touch. She holds your hand through it all in a way I wish adults did when I was a child. I'm going to make my 16 year old brother read this next.

This was a cute graphic novel, but I think it lacked depth and felt rushed. The side characters changed very quickly and it didn't feel like a developed arc. It's supposed to be a series, so I think it could have been spaced out better. The world building wasn't very strong, but that doesn't bother me. I was bothered by the cliched plot. It didn't feel very original and it felt a little young for the middle-grade category. I think younger children will enjoy and get a lot out of it! I still may read the next volumes because it does seem like the author has potential to grow.

Boys Weekend was a great exploration of transmisogyny, toxic masculinity, and growing out of friendships, but the plot was a bit underdeveloped. The book would have been amazing if it were longer and had the chance to explore cults more, but the conflict sped by too quickly and didn't really make sense. The story was still good and the characterization and art were great. I still recommend and I hope the author has more chances to expand their writing in the future. 

This was a truly heartfelt graphic novel. It was actually more scary than I thought it would be, but I am a scaredy cat. The art is so detailed and almost comic book like, and it works well with the story. The characters all feel very real and very much like middle schoolers. There is great representation with an autistic main character and a trans main character; the autistic main character was really well done and it never felt like she needed to change herself

in fact, her autism and understanding of being misunderstood is what ends up saving the day

. Overall, I highly recommend. 

I had high hopes for this book and it was incredibly disappointing. It is basically like one of those daily calendars you tear a page off every day, there is nothing substantial or original about it. It is very consumerist. Half of the tips were so basic and lukewarm, and the other half were actively harmful. Do not put essential oils in the dryer. Do not support the police. Do not "find your spirit animal." It wouldn't surprise me if this book was written a decade ago. 

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.