shereadytoread's Reviews (806)

This is intense, grounded trans horror. It includes a lot of ruminating on identity and queerness in addition to the dangers of society. The house as it's own characters plays into elements of gothic horror, but those portions of the story felt less grounded to me and took away from the story. Having it's own POV took away from the horror of the story imo. Each of the main characters, Ila and Alice are difficult and complex in their own ways, not particularly likeable, but not meant to be. They are haunted by what happened in the house, and you watch it play out as they have simultaneously become a victim and a predator. Definitely check the trigger warnings on this one. 

I found this romance to be utterly lacking of romance, there is so much mention of a TV revival that ends up playing no part and overall I found it dull. I found it to just be boring all the way around. 

This book was so good. I don't even know how to put into words how much I love it. There's a lot of rumination on the concept of utopia and abolition, and that justice and peace requires ongoing action and care for every member of society. I loved Pet's reflections of human's dichotomous thinking. 

A really great theme of this book was how no matter your age, you can and should be an agent of change in your own society and that creating a better world requires us all to be able to challenge our perception of the world and what we know to be true. 

Overall it was such a great one to read! 

This was such a great read. The plot of running through the series of obstacles in the book let the plot continue without getting repetitive and the different settings of each were creepy in their own way. I really loved the imagery and how each character or group of characters in the book had a really unique look, personality, and purpose in the story. Having one MC face these obstacles alone for the people that she loved was really great. I think this is a great MG horror.

Pros: 
- plot with multiple interesting settings 
- mental health representation 
- found family rep

"Climate justice is racial justice"

Overall I think the premise and story were a great idea but in some places I wished the pacing was different. There is a lot of identity specific monologues and history at the beginning of the pages (questioning her blackness, how people perceive her race, etc.) that don't come into play during the story except one off-hand exchange. It appeared a little forced in and didn't seem vital to the story at all. Perfectly fine questions to add and include but in this type of plot, something that is dedicated a lot of time should come into play later (imo).

The characters of the book were well done and enjoyable to read about. Our main character isn't necessarily likeable but her complexity does keep the story moving at many points. The supporting cast of friends/allies is really good. This book reads like a really good heist procedural and it was a fun ride. It makes a lot of points about climate change and environmental racism that fit really well in the plot.

I really enjoyed this book. It provides a concise history of witchcraft in practice and media but also covers a wide breadth of texts, historical events and modern day practices. I thought the memoir elements were blended into the informational sections well. I think the chapters were a bit to long which led them to be unfocused in places, but if they were split into smaller more specific chapters, it would be easier to read overall. Great nonfic if you are interested in history of witchcraft in media (including before modern times).

A heartbreaking sapphic mystery/thriller that touches on everything from first love, to addiction, to mental illness, and adoption trauma. This book packs more than you expect. 

I’d love to talk about specifics of so many pieces but they are all spoilers (*sigh*). We follow Chase as she puts together the puzzle of what happened to Lia, her first love, after she goes missing and her body is found. While it does have a darker mood, it keeps you engaged by the spiral our main character ends up on. 

It is a melancholy story that gives a clear look into some heavy themes while also telling a compelling story. Our main character has to deal with the devastating loss while also struggling to realize who she is and that maybe everything was not exactly as it seemed. 

Disclaimer: I received a free gifted copy from the publisher

This book is well researched but so far very little about the writing of Frankenstein or Mary Shelley. It is most about things going on in anatomy and science experimentation at the time. If you’re subject matter then you’ll probably like this but if you are looking for information on the formation and writing of the book itself, you can keep moving.

This is a book that follows a lot of large themes and pushes them into an easily followed horror story. In being haunted by La Llorona, she truly being haunted by depression, motherhood, adoption trauma, generational trauma, feelings of inadequacy and feelings of alienation from her own culture. The imagery of this haunting figure is well-done, striking and pretty creepy. Switching between every day unhappy domestic life, horrific apparitions, and flashbacks to Alejandra's ancestors from whom she has lost connection. This book is a paranormal haunting, but takes on more of a psychological haunting feel as she deals with her depression and trauma. I thought this book had a lot of wonderful commentary around connecting with a clinician that you can relate to culturally and the importance of the therapeutic relationship. 

Disclaimer: I received a gifted ARC

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks is a fun women's fic about a woman who learns how to love books while building a community (and getting one over on her boss). The characters of the book are really loveable, including the town grump. And a lot of the fake stories they discussed I wish were real books. The book discusses literary snobs, reading for pleasure, and how different stories connect with different people. Overall, this is a fun found family story with a romantic subplot that isn't too heavy handed.