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471 reviews by:
starrysteph
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
brilliant, incredible, no notes. fully believe this is how cats exist outside human homes
(join me as i reread the read of the series!!)
CW: animal death/cruelty, violence, blood, murder, kidnapping, bullying
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Minor Detail is chillingly precise and poignant - with an almost detached narration in the first segment that ties into a frenetic & emotional second segment.
We open with a group of IDF soldiers who capture, rape, and kill a young Palestinian woman. The narration is cold as the commander and soldiers attempt to dehumanize the Palestinian people, ignoring all the ‘minor details’ that make someone wholly human.
Their atrocities are simply mundane; they have to have this cognitive dissonance in order to continue following orders. The commander washes himself methodically, but cannot truly cleanse himself of his deeds. The land and its people creep into his conscience in an unsettling way, infecting him physically and psychologically.
In the second segment, we follow an unnamed Palestinian woman in the present day. She becomes fixated on the girl’s death – she was murdered on her birthday and feels drawn to her as though they are connected by fate.
Life under occupation is all she’s ever known, and yet she constantly struggles to keep up with and understand the shifting boundaries and expectations. Her existence is a quiet series of normalized horrors.
The true brilliance of this novella is in its metaphors and threads between the two segments - insects, water & hoses, camels, dogs barking, and more. I had chills as the pieces clicked together and I attempted to decipher all the bits of imagery.
My head is swirling from this one.
CW: murder, rape, sexual violence, war, gun violence, death, genocide, colonization, racism, torture, islamophobia, religious bigotry, body horror, misogyny, kidnapping, animal cruelty, child death, police brutality, injury, panic attacks, vomit, pedophilia
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adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A clever piece of comedic horror that takes complicated family dynamics to a whole new level.
Vesper left her isolated religious community at eighteen and is stumbling her way through adulthood a handful of years later, waitressing at chain restaurants and keeping everyone at a distance. But when she mysteriously receives an invitation to the wedding of her cousin & closest friend, she journeys home. Back to her callous film star mother, her crisis of faith, and the people she thought she would never see again.
But as family secrets come to life, Vesper realizes she’ll have to face her community … and the truth of her upbringing.
I loved witnessing Vesper’s fight for independence, especially as more and more of her past memories are revealed. She’s cynical, sarcastic, and callous, but I found her likable and relatable. Her internal struggle is compelling, as she contemplates nature versus nurture and who she is outside of the bounds of family.
I do think the pacing was a bit off at times (too slow at the start - and too rushed in the second segment), and I would have loved more time exploring the family dynamics and getting to know the supporting characters. Constance (Vesper’s mom) in particular had a very choppy arc and I wanted to dig deeper there.
It’s more dark humor than horror, though there are some supernatural elements (and a bit of gore) towards the final segments. Overall though, the tone is playfully sinister and it never takes itself too seriously. I really enjoy Rachel Harrison’s writing style - super easy to read and sarcastically delightful.
CW: murder, animal death, blood, gaslighting, injury, gore, emotional abuse, fire, cannibalism, body horror, torture, grief, religious bigotry, abandonment, sexual harassment
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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Torture, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really mixed feelings on this one. I loved the magical realism elements, loved the complex family relationships and exploration of generational trauma through curses, and loved the playful botanical magic and ghosts.
And the trauma of being the eldest daughter was captured really brilliantly. Oof.
I didn’t love the immaturity of the narrator and the overabundance of misunderstandings.
How can you turn away from your sister who is in an abusive relationship? (And then return to impulsively expose the abusive without any consideration of how that could impact your sister?) How can you squarely place the blame of your little sister’s accidental death on your older sister, and treat her with such cruelty (not to mention that the reason for the blame was so nonsensical)? How can you hold a petty grudge against a high school crush so fiercely that 10 years later you can barely even speak to him?
There were some emotionally beautiful moments, and the romance was sweet at times. And look - families can be petty and cruel and complicated. But it felt like this was tonally inconsistent, especially since the writing and dialogue often felt juvenile. The 74 year old great aunt was bickering and throwing around callous remarks like a teenager.
I was more into the relationship between the sisters - and wanted to dive more into the grief & healing arcs - versus the second chance romance. It was also a bit confusing because there were multiple romance options at the start. I think we needed to stick with our main guy and develop that as much as possible over these 300 pages.
There’s also just SO much crammed in: environmental destruction, cheating, misogyny, domestic abuse, grief, messy and destructive family dynamics, racism, etc. I think that’s a lot to try to accomplish eloquently.
But this story had its moments. Some beautiful nature language, some sweetness around love & healing in romance, and some lovely sisterhood.
CW: grief, death, abandonment, toxic relationship, domestic abuse, infidelity, gaslighting, racism, sexual content
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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A compelling new take on Frankenstein - very fresh but also a bit awkwardly executed.
The framework is similar, but the content is very modern: a queer Indonesian scientist (Dr. Frank) attempts to create a child without sperm or egg. Plum - the doctor’s intern - has run away from home to live openly. She idolizes Dr. Frank and becomes wrapped up in the tale of her creation … and Dr. Frank’s offer to participate in her next project.
And then there’s the nonbinary child that Dr. Frank birthed, cruelly abandoned at infancy and returning to face dia creator.
I found Z/Dr. Frank’s narration a bit hard to take on. She has such narrow vision and hurts & exploits & violates so many others in her life. It’s a story of her doomed ambition, but the other narrators (Plum and Ash) questioned ethical issues in a more balanced way.
I enjoyed the exploration of agency over your own body - how that can be taken away from you based on a queer/trans identity - and also how children in general can be treated as objects instead of humans with full human experiences.
Other themes included biracial identities & intersectional identities (with thoughtful highlights of Asian and Asian American culture), ethics alongside scientific advancement, cycles of trauma, and parenthood.
It can be a very direct and heavy-handed retelling (direct quotes peppered throughout the book alongside other winks and nods), but it’s also clearly a labor of love in recognition of the original story.
CW: pregnancy, child abuse, child death, domestic abuse, abandonment, death, medical trauma, murder, sexual assault, ableism, homophobia, incest, suicide, grief, dysphoria, transphobia, racism, stalking
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hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
A quick but thoughtful collection of essays by authors of color that I think would be informative, inspiring, and illuminating for any aspiring writer.
These authors are encouraging to readers - but also honest about the racism they’ve experienced & their uphill battles & other systemic issues within the messy world of publishing.
Though I found some of the content to be repetitive (I would have loved a clearer throughline with more distinct essays from each author), some of them stood out for their thoughtfulness and compassion.
My favorites were “Coping with Imposter Syndrome”, “Untold Rebellions: Character Agency through the Lens of Collectivism”, “Perseverance”, and “The Care and Keeping of Jealousy.”
CW: racism, bullying, discrimination, colorism, xenophobia, panic attacks, death of a parent, cancer, grief, toxic friendship, animal death (briefly mentioned)
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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Pomegranate Gate was a lush & simmering start to a Jewish fantasy trilogy.
The writing was exquisite, the Spanish Inquisition Era-inspired worldbuilding was captivating, and the characters simply leapt off the pages. The unapologetically Jewish grand themes and tucked-in morsels made my heart sing.
Welcome to the Mirror Realm Cycle.
We follow two young Jewish people guarding family secrets after the Queen forces all Jews to convert or flee. Toba has always been considered sickly - unable to scream or run or dream - though she’s full of clever wit and skilled at translations. Naftaly spends half his life in visions, and the other half doing his best to live up to his father’s expectations. When they both flee the only home they’ve ever known, they bring family heirlooms, defying the Queen’s orders.
Then, Toba finds herself in another world - a mirror realm and the home of the powerful & immortal Mazik. While she uncovers strange powers and ancestry, Naftaly braves a treacherous journey to find her in the human realm. But the Inquisition hunts them both, and nowhere is safe.
The journeys of both main characters were earnest, thoughtful, and compelling. It’s a bit of a coming-of-age story for each of them.
Toba discovers her voice (figuratively & literally). She tackles her fears and counters her internalized (allegorical) ableism. She gets into hijinks galore, unearths treasures from a massive library, and gets a bit (too) distracted by the grumpy owner-turned-mentor, Asmel. It’s so fun to watch her grow.
Naftaly learns to be strong without losing his innate kindness and tenderness. His optimistic naivety made him clumsy at times - but you can’t help but root for him. And his banter with The Old Woman (and other eclectic travel companions) was delightfully amusing. He’s got the start of a romance arc in the final segment of this book, and I can’t wait to see how that blooms moving forward.
There’s a smaller third POV - the Courser - who gave us some of the most tantalizing storytelling of them all. She’s the assassin for the magical order (La Cacería, the hunt) that plays a hand in the Inquisition. She does what she must to survive, sometimes delighting in the killing and sometimes feeling unease about her orders. I think there’s a lot more in store for her.
The reason this isn’t quite a 5 star read for me just has to do with a couple of pacing stumbles and a peculiar romance arc. It’s a slow-moving book overall, which I mostly adored. I loved getting the chance to really know these characters.
The Pomegranate Gate is a spellbinding adventure which thoughtfully integrates religious persecution. It’s a story of embracing your identity, finding strength in the family you create, and defying ignorance & hate.
It’s enchanting. It’s eccentric. It’s so very detailed.
And this is only the beginning.
If you like:
→ Snarky old women
→ Political intrigue
→ Gay pining
→ Assassins with arms-that-are-also-swords who turn severed heads into apples?!
→ Extensive old libraries & the moody owners of the estate
→ Mastering your own magic
→ Jewish myth & folklore
→ The start of a heartwarming found family
→ LENTILS! (I like lentils, okay? Magical lentil rep for the win.)
Then stop reading this review and go pick up The Pomegranate Gate PROMPTLY.
CW: death & murder, antisemitism, genocide, xenophobia, hate crime, child death, torture, blood & gore, suicidal thoughts, ableism, war, kidnapping, fire & death by fire, vomit
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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Year of the Witching was a haunting & atmospheric coming-of-age story with a sliver of dark magic. The plot stumbles a bit and at times felt too simplistic compared to the massive themes and messaging, but I had a pretty good time with this one.
We follow Immanuelle, a young woman who has been an outcast in her puritanical town Bethel since birth. Her mother fell in love with a Black man from the Outskirts, and he died on the pyre while she died in childbirth. Now Immanuelle (and her disgraced family) does her best to follow the rules, stay invisible, and conform.
But the Darkwood calls to her, as well as the spirits of former powerful witches. Immanuelle soon begins to question the Church and Bethel’s history, fueled in part by the discovery of her mom’s diary and her connection to witchcraft. But it’s dangerous to wish for change in Bethel, especially when the town is struck with a series of deadly plagues.
I really enjoyed the prose here. It was vivid but digestible - and very quotable. The Darkwood was perfectly otherworldly, and the depictions of the shifting trees & witches that lurk within them were so eerie.
I also found Immanuelle to be a compelling main character. She is filled to the brim with contradictions, and I think that’s so much more interesting than having her be assured of her convictions and ready to rebel from the start. She falters between her upbringing and her logic, between everything she’s ever known and her empathy. Her second-act exploration of her biracial identity was so interesting to me (though it did raise a lot of questions around the worldbuilding).
Ezra, the Prophet’s son, was not as convincing to me. I just didn’t buy into this perfect beacon of support for Immanuelle. He kept all her secrets, he got her out of trouble EVERY step of the way, and he respects and listens to her. This is a young man who has been RAISED by the current leader of Bethel. He is primed to be successor. He should be much more conditioned by the Church. And I would have loved watching someone go on this journey with Immanuelle who was more of an equal.
I found the worldbuilding in general to be weak. I couldn’t quite get a good picture of the town and its surroundings. I had countless questions about the religion - I felt as though my knowledge of real world religions filled in the blanks because of the clear similarities, but this is a fictional world.
My biggest qualm here is around the ending - I think Immanuelle had too much of a sharp shift in her arc. She didn’t have enough of a chance to learn about the witches or the power within her before making the choice she did. And I ultimately found the characterization of the supporting female characters (witches included) to be disappointing & flat. (Give me more Vera though.)
CW: murder, death, animal cruelty & death, pedophilia, adult/minor relationship, blood, gore, domestic abuse, misogyny, racism, self harm, rape
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challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sunrise was a fascinating yet unnerving connected collection of stories examining the impact of atomic power on generations of Japanese women.
I never knew what to expect next. The stories ranged from sweet family moments to unsettling surrealism to speculative sci-fi-esque worlds.
The writing was beautiful but also quite eclectic, and sometimes the transitions from one story to the next were a bit jarring. I could see some of the linking threads, but I didn’t quite understand why all of the pieces came together in this order.
Some of these ideas were absolutely fascinating (a mysterious pandemic that causes people to lose their ability to communicate; a futuristic time without trees or paper books; a world in which everyone has wings) and all of the stories contained so much depth, symbolism, and ideas that will definitely simmer and expand in my brain. Threads of fire, bugs, and birth/rebirth all popped up again and again.
The simpler stories were enchanting, too, following moments between siblings and mothers and daughters.
It’s a collection that asks us how we engage with our past & how much of our lives are truly within our control. What do we pass down to our children? What happens when we make hidden fears very, very visible?
CW: death, war, murder, epidemic, ableism, terminal illness, grief, infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy, mental illness, suicidal ideation, suicide, mental illness
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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, Pandemic/Epidemic
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
And Don’t Look Back is a twisty thriller with an earnestly likable lead, a fast-paced plot, and a great splash of queer representation.
Harlow has spent her whole life on the run - switching identities, schools, and homes - with her mom. But after a tragic car accident leaves her on her own, she has to collect the pieces her mother left behind. When Harlow opens a safety deposit box to discover a family she never knew, she decides to head back to the town where it all began and confront her mom’s past. But if the threat is real - she may be walking straight into danger.
My heart couldn’t help but break for Harlow, who is only a teenager but sets off on this terrifying journey all on her own. She’s been raised to distrust everyone but her mom, and that means there’s no one left for her to lean on or to give her advice and support. It hurts.
Luckily, while Harlow is fierce and independent, she also realizes she can’t live in isolation forever. She gives herself grace and makes decisions with both her head and her heart. Sometimes thriller narrators can be frustratingly obtuse, and that isn’t the case here at all. Harlow doesn’t shy away from danger, and she does still make teenage mistakes, but she’s clever about her investigation.
I was hooked on the story right away and ended up reading this in one afternoon. Sharp & short chapters make it easy to keep turning pages, and I was genuinely surprised a couple of times. The twists just kept coming! The writing was descriptive but clear, and I could visualize all the spookiest moments.
The story is mostly told from Harlow’s point of view in the present, but there are a collection of flashbacks where we learn more about her mom Cora’s past.
There’s a big focus on family, and sisterly love and protection, and knowing when to compromise and when to stand up for yourself.
Harlow is a lesbian (and a handful of supporting characters are also queer), and it was nice to have her identity casually included. There is a brief romance arc which I kind of wished had a cleaner conclusion - but that’s not the focus here. I hope there’s not a followup novel (because I hope Harlow’s dangerous adventures are over!), but I do hope she gets a shot at the romantic love she dreams about throughout this story.
I did end with some questions and concerns - and not totally understanding the choices of Harlow’s loved ones.
CW: death, murder, abandonment, grief, car accident, emotional & physical abuse, child abuse, gun violence, gaslighting, stalking
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(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail