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moonyreadsbystarlight's reviews
576 reviews
Crossplay by Niki Smith
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
This was a fun and sexy story that is a window into the dynamics of this friend group at a con. I enjoyed this for the most part. I liked the art style and appreciated that there were so many different kinds of people and body types. There were some cute dynamics here but I do wish we had more time with the characters to really understand all of the relationships (and to get to really know more about the characters that I did really like)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Dysphoria
Misgendering
Witches, Midwives and Nurses: A History of Women Healers by Barbara Ehrenreich
informative
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, and Medical content
Moderate: Sexual content and Abortion
Burning Women: The European Witch Hunts, Enclosure and the Rise of Capitalism by Lady Stardust
informative
4.0
A very compelling short overview! I am excited to read some of the works cited in here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Murder
Moderate: Torture
The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún Vol. 12 – [.dear] Side Stories by Nagabe
lighthearted
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Stars in Their Eyes: A Graphic Novel by Jessica Walton
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Sweet and fun with good representation! Loved the geeky references and silliness from the parents. It was a bit clunky, in the diologue and a bit of shoehorning info at times. But still a cute read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
The Case of the Bleeding Wall Vol. 1 by Tom Napolitano, Joe R. Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale, Daniele Serra
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
In this first volume, you are thrown directly in the middle of a world with supernatural happenings and our main character who is being thrown in the middle of assisting to solve a potentially dangerous supernatural problem.
I am intrigued and definitely want to continue reading the other volumes. It's a bit difficult to rate individual issues because there is so much more of the story to come. This went by pretty quickly, but I would have liked to get to know the characters a bit more. The art has scary elements, though I get the feeling that the real scary parts are to come.
I was given this copy by the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
I am intrigued and definitely want to continue reading the other volumes. It's a bit difficult to rate individual issues because there is so much more of the story to come. This went by pretty quickly, but I would have liked to get to know the characters a bit more. The art has scary elements, though I get the feeling that the real scary parts are to come.
I was given this copy by the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
When I Was Me: Moments of Gender Euphoria by Eve Greenwood, Alex Assan
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
4.5
Journals by Kurt Cobain
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
3.5
3.5? I feel like this is a weird thing to rate.
The Kurt Cobain journals are something I've been interested in for a while, but just now got to. And I came out of it with pretty mixed feelings.
This was mostly photocopied pages of his journals and other papers. It had rough drafts of songs, weird sketches, music video ideas, playlists, and best album lists. There were also letters (some sent and some never sent), beginnings of dark short stories, and journal entries. Some context was given about parts, but it was pretty minimal. The journals didn't even have an introduction or discussion of who had put these documents together.
The biggest thing I did get out of this was seeing more about his experience with stomach issues and chronic pain. He describes the toll that this took on his mental health and was the catalyst for his addiction. In a similar vein, it was profound and disturbing to see how he was treated by the press amidst these issues. It gave me a lot of perspective on the things I've heard about him, especially towards the end of his life.
However, seeing so much in the book with little context made me really question whether or not this should have even been published like this. Like if someone found my partial rough drafts of stories that I wrote when I was 20, I would not want them to be photocopied and spread around posthumously. There were also several things that just would have really benefited from more context or explanation than was given in the notes at the end. I wonder how much of it he would reword and rework, give context to, or omit altogether (especially with bits like the ableism in many parts; he did have big moral convictions around social injustice so I can't help but wonder what he would change or correct if he'd had proper education about it).
It was an interesting read, dark, hard to be in his head (the poor guy had mostly water placements all over his astrology chart). I'm interested to know more about him as a person and artist, but the jury is still out on whether or not this is a really good way to learn about it.
The Kurt Cobain journals are something I've been interested in for a while, but just now got to. And I came out of it with pretty mixed feelings.
This was mostly photocopied pages of his journals and other papers. It had rough drafts of songs, weird sketches, music video ideas, playlists, and best album lists. There were also letters (some sent and some never sent), beginnings of dark short stories, and journal entries. Some context was given about parts, but it was pretty minimal. The journals didn't even have an introduction or discussion of who had put these documents together.
The biggest thing I did get out of this was seeing more about his experience with stomach issues and chronic pain. He describes the toll that this took on his mental health and was the catalyst for his addiction. In a similar vein, it was profound and disturbing to see how he was treated by the press amidst these issues. It gave me a lot of perspective on the things I've heard about him, especially towards the end of his life.
However, seeing so much in the book with little context made me really question whether or not this should have even been published like this. Like if someone found my partial rough drafts of stories that I wrote when I was 20, I would not want them to be photocopied and spread around posthumously. There were also several things that just would have really benefited from more context or explanation than was given in the notes at the end. I wonder how much of it he would reword and rework, give context to, or omit altogether (especially with bits like the ableism in many parts; he did have big moral convictions around social injustice so I can't help but wonder what he would change or correct if he'd had proper education about it).
It was an interesting read, dark, hard to be in his head (the poor guy had mostly water placements all over his astrology chart). I'm interested to know more about him as a person and artist, but the jury is still out on whether or not this is a really good way to learn about it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Medical trauma, and Abortion
While the racism and sexism were there because he spoke out against them, the ableism was there in a lot of the writing, including the r-slur (unfortunately common for the time). There is also a lot of weird graphic violence in the short stories.
Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Kim Cooper
informative
reflective
4.0
This book, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Kim Cooper, goes in detail, not just about the groundbreaking album, but into the band itself. We see how they met, moved apart, and came back together. There is even a good bit on On Avery Island, the album before Aeroplane. Later in the book, there is also a breakdown of each song in the album as well as chapters on the tour, album art, and subsequent haitus of the band (though since its publication in 2005, there has been a tour and some songs and demos released).
There really was something so genuine, nearly magical, about how they were able to make their music projects. The care and collaboration that went into these projects is quite amazing and the environment is something that I don't think could be recreated. It's certainly not something that could have existed under a large label (and for the better for the mental health of the members, it seems).
My main issue was some very weird, outdated language choices (an unfortunately common misuse of schizophrenia and the g-slur -- both completely unnecessary to get the point across) in the small section about the first song of the album, which did sour that chapter for me a bit. But for the most part, this was a really solid and interesting read. If you are enamored with the album like I am or if you are a musician or interested in the creative process, I would recommend this.
There really was something so genuine, nearly magical, about how they were able to make their music projects. The care and collaboration that went into these projects is quite amazing and the environment is something that I don't think could be recreated. It's certainly not something that could have existed under a large label (and for the better for the mental health of the members, it seems).
My main issue was some very weird, outdated language choices (an unfortunately common misuse of schizophrenia and the g-slur -- both completely unnecessary to get the point across) in the small section about the first song of the album, which did sour that chapter for me a bit. But for the most part, this was a really solid and interesting read. If you are enamored with the album like I am or if you are a musician or interested in the creative process, I would recommend this.
My Body is Distant by Paige Maylott
emotional
reflective
4.5
In My Body is Distant, Paige Maylott goes back and forth throughout her life, revealing a lot about her relationship with technology, transition, disability, and other people in her life. At face value, this book is right in my wheelhouse, but under the surface there's even more that I loved.
Not only is it a trans narrative with interweaving themes, it's very messy and queer. There was also so much about technology that I thought was really profound. And if I try to really lay out my thoughts, I will go well beyond what people want to read in an online book review. Not only is her relationship with technology somehow both incredibly niche and so quinessentially of-the-time, there is also so much about it that is *very* trans (and I say that, not only as a trans person in online spaces, but as a sociologist who has looked at other niche online spaces and the role they have played for queer and trans people).
Then, I loved a lot about the narrative itself. The non-chronological structure along with the choice to narrate online scenes just as fluidly as the Real Life scenes made the reading experience interesting certainly, but it also made the parallel scenes that much more impactful.
There is just so much I really enjoyed and I can't stop thinking about it. So, if you're into nonlinear narrative, queer books, themes around technology and self, and aren't afraid of a little furry smut, this is one to look out for.
(I received a review copy of this from the publisher to give an honest review)
Not only is it a trans narrative with interweaving themes, it's very messy and queer. There was also so much about technology that I thought was really profound. And if I try to really lay out my thoughts, I will go well beyond what people want to read in an online book review. Not only is her relationship with technology somehow both incredibly niche and so quinessentially of-the-time, there is also so much about it that is *very* trans (and I say that, not only as a trans person in online spaces, but as a sociologist who has looked at other niche online spaces and the role they have played for queer and trans people).
Then, I loved a lot about the narrative itself. The non-chronological structure along with the choice to narrate online scenes just as fluidly as the Real Life scenes made the reading experience interesting certainly, but it also made the parallel scenes that much more impactful.
There is just so much I really enjoyed and I can't stop thinking about it. So, if you're into nonlinear narrative, queer books, themes around technology and self, and aren't afraid of a little furry smut, this is one to look out for.
(I received a review copy of this from the publisher to give an honest review)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Sexual content, Transphobia, Medical content, and Dysphoria