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moonyreadsbystarlight's reviews
576 reviews
Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson
This one is probably closer to a 3.75 for me, but it was still a good read! I really liked that she was able to deal with tough issues well in the context of this YA romance. I also liked the complexity we saw within these characters and that what they were going through spanned past just a music festival and a romance. That being said, I did think that some of the issues surrounding the romance in the last third or so of the book felt a bit forced (I do think what was brought up could have played out well, but the idea of it happening within the course of a day was a bit too much of a stretch). However, like I said, this was still an enjoyable book!
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This one is probably closer to a 3.75 for me, but it was still a good read! I really liked that she was able to deal with tough issues well in the context of this YA romance. I also liked the complexity we saw within these characters and that what they were going through spanned past just a music festival and a romance. That being said, I did think that some of the issues surrounding the romance in the last third or so of the book felt a bit forced (I do think what was brought up could have played out well, but the idea of it happening within the course of a day was a bit too much of a stretch). However, like I said, this was still an enjoyable book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gun violence, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by bell hooks
informative
inspiring
reflective
5.0
This is an incredible collection of essays and interviews centered around teaching. She talks about what education means to her, how she saw a shift in her own education post-integration, and who really inspired her as an educator. If you are an educator, you should absolutely read this. I already try to teach in a way that is engaging students in a conversation more often, rather than just me talking at them -- it's about learning how to critically think and engage. She spoke on this and talked about so much more that I have not fully considered or deconstructed in my own teaching. This was so inspiring to hear someone coming from her perspective, especially as education is seen so often in terms of remembering and regurgitating knowledge for tests.
The Tradition by Jericho Brown
emotional
reflective
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Mass/school shootings
Across a Field of Starlight by Blue Delliquanti
adventurous
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Across a Field of Starlight by Blue Delliquanti is a YA graphic novel set amid a space war. Lu and Fassen are a part of different groups opposed to the Empire who work very differently. They happen upon each other and Lu shares technology so they can stay in touch and the plot goes from there.
This book was outstanding on so many levels. The artwork is incredible and detailed. There is so much diversity, not just in terms of race and gender, but in body type, ability, gender expression, and more. The way the different groups were built up and the themes explored through them were great. There was a lot of complexity with some of the characters and their relationships.
I do wish this had been a series rather than a standalone because there is so much I want to see and ideas that I would have loved to see expanded (that it seems the author would have been able to do some really great things with, judging by what they were able to accomplish with this).
This book was outstanding on so many levels. The artwork is incredible and detailed. There is so much diversity, not just in terms of race and gender, but in body type, ability, gender expression, and more. The way the different groups were built up and the themes explored through them were great. There was a lot of complexity with some of the characters and their relationships.
I do wish this had been a series rather than a standalone because there is so much I want to see and ideas that I would have loved to see expanded (that it seems the author would have been able to do some really great things with, judging by what they were able to accomplish with this).
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Medical content
Improper binding
Power to the People: The Black Panthers Speak by Fred Hampton Jr.
It was really great to hear these speeches and I liked that they included other bits alongside them to talk about his death. The down side here is the audio quality. Some were very hard to hear and I had to listen through twice. While transcriptions of some are available, I could not find all of them. I am still very glad that someone did compile what they could, as there are not many books (that I have found) to go to that focus on Fred Hampton specifically.
Sheets by Brenna Thummler
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
3.75
I definitely ejoyed this! The story of a girl and a ghost come together. It was a cute story that touched on some tough topic like grief and fitting in -- but not in a way that was too heavy. I do think that some of it was rushed and could have been explaned better, it was still an enjoyable book
We Do This 'til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba
challenging
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Through a series of essays written over the past several years, We Do This Til We Free Us discusses the need for abolition & how we can expand our imaginations & community to work towards it. This includes discussion of a variety of incidences to hilight the violence inherent in the prison industrial complex, how we can work for people now, & how we might create a better future to contend with these issues.
This addresses many questions that people have about abolition & goes further, discussing the difference between punishment & accountability, expanding on the possibilities & the necessity of a future without the PIC. If you're unsure of abolition, this is a great starting point. & if you're already invested in abolition this is an incredible read.
This addresses many questions that people have about abolition & goes further, discussing the difference between punishment & accountability, expanding on the possibilities & the necessity of a future without the PIC. If you're unsure of abolition, this is a great starting point. & if you're already invested in abolition this is an incredible read.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
So much about this was really great and I am struggling to talk about it without either spoiling things or being so vauge that it is unhelpful. I will say that I got kind of lost in the political aspect of this (which is a me problem, as I am not used to that being a huge element). I read this on audiobook, which was nice but I think re-reading it in physical form will probably help with some of my confusion -- and I am definitely looking for a chance to look at these characters and this beautiful writing again
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Torture
Minor: Animal death
Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was really wonderful! This is a sweet, trope-ey YA that manages to balance in quite a few important themes and capturing specific nuances that I don't often see in other stories. This whole story is about Noah, who is in love with love and runs a blog all about trans meet cutes. When someone tries to expose his for fabricating stories, someone from a real meet cute offers to help -- but love turns out to be much more than a sweet first moment. As the story goes on, we see quite a few topics addressed relating to the trans community, being multiracial in a predomenantly white space, communication, mental health, friendship, and (of course) love. Noah is messy and brash, but really learns throughout the story. I really like the turn that this took plot-wise and what it did for the theme.
In general, I really loved the nuance that is put into this. There are a lot of details and experiences that aren't often explored, like trying new pronouns. But also, I think the blog itself is easy to overlook as maybe even a heavy-handed plot device, however I think a lot of that speaks to a broader experience of many trans people as well. Obviously it's about media representation (and the not-trans-specific experience of reactionaries on the Internet, particuarly Tumblr-brand reactionaries) but it goes beyond that. I feel like I could write an essay integrating the trans experience of existing and exploting in digital space (particularly the specific space of tumblr) and the way this peice of that story taps into that. So I won't go into all of that here. Suffice it to say, I think the auther put in a lot of nuance here.
Also, I didn't see the comparison to <i>Felix Ever After</i> in the blurb until I was done reading it, but even so I found myself thinking back to that book as I read. They're both trans characters who make brash (poor) descisions and wind up in a love triange -- but more than that, they act largely from a place of not understanding how to accept love (or not knowing what love even is). They do have quite different approaches and end up looking at different kinds of misunderstandings of love. But even so, those messy lessons were done well. I was tickled to see that it was compared to FEE when I was thinking about their similarities/differences near the end of the book.
Also, I didn't see the comparison to <i>Felix Ever After</i> in the blurb until I was done reading it, but even so I found myself thinking back to that book as I read. They're both trans characters who make brash (poor) descisions and wind up in a love triange -- but more than that, they act largely from a place of not understanding how to accept love (or not knowing what love even is). They do have quite different approaches and end up looking at different kinds of misunderstandings of love. But even so, those messy lessons were done well. I was tickled to see that it was compared to FEE when I was thinking about their similarities/differences near the end of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia
Minor: Vomit and Suicide attempt