stefanicox's Reviews (519)

A painstakingly crafted book of memoir and fiction of a young South Asian American man struggling to deal with his mother's schizophrenia and starting acting school at the same time. Some gorgeous prose at times, and a very intriguing story that surprisingly wasn't that predictable.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A light book about one woman's experience discovering life in New Zealand raising farm animals. There are some genuinely funny bits to Murphy's book, which I enjoyed, but there are also some places with some really awful stereotypes about people of color that go completely unchecked. A bit of a mixed bag.

Note: I received an ARC of this work from the publisher.

First book I've read by Zadie Smith, and I definitely want to read White Teeth now. She has some super well-done and original writing in the book, just lovely insightful prose. At the same time, the last half dragged on a bit for me story-wise.

Issa Rae is hilarious. But I'm surprised that her memoir also touches on some serious stuff around family, relationships, and body image in a thoughtful way. Really looking forward to seeing what this talented lady comes out with next in the TV/film world!

(Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

I read this book in just a couple of days because the story is so intense and compelling. Marci and her sister Corin are dealing with living in an abusive household, religion, and just plain growing up in general. Even though there are a lot of serious topics that the book covers, it's really worth reading and doesn't always feel heavy -- there are also some pretty humorous parts.

I'm so happy to have read this book which is a foundation of third wave (read: women of color) feminism. Some of the stories are really dense and full of language that we don't really use anymore, like "Third World feminists," but the poems in particular were quite mesmerizing and profound. This book has been on my to-read list for a while, and I'm glad I finally got around to it.

This one kind of surprised me. I really thought I would love it, but my enthusiasm definitely went up and down while reading. I really liked the descriptions of life growing up in the rural South after the Great Migration being over. Some of what he talks about is reminiscent of Jesmyn Ward's experiences and work in that respect (whom I love). I haven't read too much of his journalistic work, but Blow is clearly a good writer. The end just started to lose me a bit with the whole fraternity expose and a bit too much philosophizing/moralizing I felt. Still, a solid read that his more regular readers will probably really enjoy. I also appreciate his openness and honesty in self-reflection.

I really enjoyed this book, especially how Ford captures a lot of different perspectives in a certain period of time (WWII and Japanese internment). Though the narrator is Chinese American, his best friend is Japanese American, and he spends a lot of time with an African American jazz musician who has yet another perspective on everything that's going on. The book is also a well-told love story reminiscent of Love in the Time of Cholera in theme. Additionally, I liked learning more about Seattle's International District, which I've only visited once before, by reading the book.

I was craving a thriller and decided to pick up Kelly's The Bullet for a taste. Caroline Cashion, the protagonist of the story learns that she has a bullet embedded in her neck after going to the doctor for some medical issues with her wrist. From there the book turns into more of a mystery than a thriller, with Caroline trying to figure out where the bullet came from and why. She encounters surprising truths about her past and has to wade through a cast of characters to figure out the whodunnit.

While I didn't quite get the suspense I was hoping for by reading the book, it was fun to read something light yet intriguing. I wish the characters had a little more depth to them -- the potential was definitely there, and there could have been a few more "active suspects" to add to the mystery. But overall not a bad read.

Note: I received a free copy of this book for review.

It took me a minute to get used to the shifting viewpoints of the book, especially the characters that you only get one chapter of, but I really enjoyed the unique story told here of a Mexican family with a brain-damaged daughter trying to make a life in the U.S.