thistle_and_verse's Reviews (299)

A sweet read. Emoni is such a lovable character. Even when I thought she was in the wrong or being hardheaded, I still wanted things to go well for her. (There's that inevitable conflict where the innovative prodigy is mentored by a structured, rules-y character, and I actually sided with the rules-y character this once.) All the food described sounded so delicious, and I loved the way Acevedo described ingredients and a dish's impact. Acevedo creates layered, dynamic characters who grow over the course of the book.

Received a review copy from Netgalley. Opinions are my own. This book follows Kara from middle school up to her senior year of high school. Kara's life is full of divisions - family members who love her but don't get along with each other, the neighborhood she's grown up in vs where she goes to school, the expectations she's held to vs the boys in her community. Kara tries to gain popularity, to ease the tensions in her family, and ultimately finds herself adrift. Reid-Benta offers a heartfelt portrait of a young Jamaican Canadian girl's coming of age and doesn't offer easy answers to the difficult questions Kara must confront. Kara's relationships with her mother and grandmother are the focal point of this story and were compelling. The characters felt believable, and I enjoyed Reid-Benta's writing style.

I've made my peace with the plot line shift. Aesop's up to something...

I enjoyed this novella. The writing style is descriptive and pleasant to read (despite the grim subject matter). The ending is bittersweet. Eja-keke is a compelling side character.

The artwork was great and really enhanced the sequences of Riri's introspection. I really enjoyed the newfound camaraderie between Riri and the Wakandans. The arc about Riri and her family fell flat for me, but it was nice seeing her with Xavier and Daija and her growth as a character throughout this series.

A cute, heartwarming read. I had an iffy start with this book, but the characters bonding over this video game grabbed my attention. I appreciated that Morris included a variety of Black perspectives on gaming and life. Steph might have been the character I loved most. Her protectiveness of Kiera was very sweet. This book explores poignant issues of navigating racism in gaming and trying to stay safe in spaces not made with you in mind. I'm not sure how I feel about the revealed villain. When I first read it, it made sense, but when I thought about it after reading, the methods didn't seem to align with that character's motives and personality as neatly as I'd first thought.