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aforestofbooks's reviews
497 reviews
Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
I loved Elatsoe, so I knew I needed to get my hands on this book. This lived up to my expectations and then some. I love a good adventure book, and this was definitely that. Also, kudos for Shane bringing Marcos along with her, because too many books like to leave little kids home, while the big kids go off on missions to save the world. I think it worked very well with some of the messages we get from this book, especially surrounding family and culture and traditions and how important they are to pass on to the generations after you.
The last chapter and the epilogue were obviously my favourite parts, and I think anyone who reads this will enjoy those two chapters. They were very satisfying and heartwarming and concluded this story perfectly.
The last chapter and the epilogue were obviously my favourite parts, and I think anyone who reads this will enjoy those two chapters. They were very satisfying and heartwarming and concluded this story perfectly.
Brooms by Jasmine Walls
adventurous
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.0
So good! A must read. I wish there was more set in this world.
Awakenings by Claudie Arseneault
adventurous
mysterious
fast-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
4.25
ooh I finally get to say I read a book thanks to Mackenzie.
This was so cute and wholesome and fun. The premise isn't exactly a "cozy" fantasy, but it feels cozy just because of the queer-platonic friendships and found family aspects.
I'm so curious to see where this story goes and I wish more fantasy novella series existed because they're very quick reads, but also so much fun.
This was so cute and wholesome and fun. The premise isn't exactly a "cozy" fantasy, but it feels cozy just because of the queer-platonic friendships and found family aspects.
I'm so curious to see where this story goes and I wish more fantasy novella series existed because they're very quick reads, but also so much fun.
Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I finally caved and requested this book thanks to Gretal (yet again). It's always weird reading a book written by an author you kind of know. Or in this case, you know their twin sister. I was worried I wasn't going to like this book like so many other muslim contemporary books, but I really enjoyed this one.
This book made me laugh, it made me emotional, and it made me angry. The release of this book coinciding with the genocide in Gaza and the world waking up to the terrorism that is zionism and Israel could not have been more perfect. Everything Nida goes through are things we've been experiencing and seeing with our own eyes. The rage she feels felt like our rage at the world right now. And the hope she has inside of her, is the hope many of us have that something will be different this time.
The interview scene was probably my favourite scene in this entire book. It made me so angry I wanted to break something, especially after seeing this exact scene play out on the news the first few weeks of this genocide when Palestinians were being interviewed and asked to condemn Hamas. Watching Nida fight back and say everything I've always wanted to say was so satisfying. I loved seeing her take charge of her story and find her voice, and also realize she doesn't have to write poetry because of her mamou or stop writing poetry because of her mom, but she can write as a way to express herself and her anger and her truth.
Also shoutout to the Shia side character in this book, Rayan. It was so nice to see that seamlessly added to this story, especially considering people forget we exist most of the time.
My few issues with the book were Jawad. He was just so mean to Nida. I'm glad there was no romantic subplot between the two of them, but I think he could have been more understanding of what Nida was going through and realize just because he would do things a certain way, doesn't mean everyone else should.
The magical realism aspect of this book was interesting, though the entire time I thought it was a manifestation of her anxiety, before it was revealed that it's actually a family curse. I wasn't really expecting this in a contemporary book so it did take me out of the story sometimes.
The only other issue I had was some of the dialogue didn't flow super well or feel like an actual conversation between two people, which might have been changed since I read the arc.
Also the arc has horrible formatting for the poems if you read it on the Kindle app which was kind of annoying ðŸ˜
But overall, this was a pretty good read and I'm glad I picked it up!
3.5/5 stars
This book made me laugh, it made me emotional, and it made me angry. The release of this book coinciding with the genocide in Gaza and the world waking up to the terrorism that is zionism and Israel could not have been more perfect. Everything Nida goes through are things we've been experiencing and seeing with our own eyes. The rage she feels felt like our rage at the world right now. And the hope she has inside of her, is the hope many of us have that something will be different this time.
The interview scene was probably my favourite scene in this entire book. It made me so angry I wanted to break something, especially after seeing this exact scene play out on the news the first few weeks of this genocide when Palestinians were being interviewed and asked to condemn Hamas. Watching Nida fight back and say everything I've always wanted to say was so satisfying. I loved seeing her take charge of her story and find her voice, and also realize she doesn't have to write poetry because of her mamou or stop writing poetry because of her mom, but she can write as a way to express herself and her anger and her truth.
Also shoutout to the Shia side character in this book, Rayan. It was so nice to see that seamlessly added to this story, especially considering people forget we exist most of the time.
My few issues with the book were Jawad. He was just so mean to Nida. I'm glad there was no romantic subplot between the two of them, but I think he could have been more understanding of what Nida was going through and realize just because he would do things a certain way, doesn't mean everyone else should.
The magical realism aspect of this book was interesting, though the entire time I thought it was a manifestation of her anxiety, before it was revealed that it's actually a family curse. I wasn't really expecting this in a contemporary book so it did take me out of the story sometimes.
The only other issue I had was some of the dialogue didn't flow super well or feel like an actual conversation between two people, which might have been changed since I read the arc.
Also the arc has horrible formatting for the poems if you read it on the Kindle app which was kind of annoying ðŸ˜
But overall, this was a pretty good read and I'm glad I picked it up!
3.5/5 stars
Salt Houses by Hala Alyan
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is one of those books that leaves you so much to think about after turning the last page.
The writing was beautiful, lyrical, descriptive. It's quite heavy on narrative over dialogue, which took me longer to read, but being inside these characters' heads, and experiencing their thoughts and desires and confusions, really made this book.
Every character in this book is complex and multidimensional. They're messy, and sometimes (a lot of the times) not likeable at all. But I think the author captured what a real family, touched with intergenerational trauma, war, death, and displacement would be like. And despite not having similar experiences as many of these characters, I saw bits and pieces of myself and my family in them too.
One thing that stood out to me, and something that I think I knew but didn't realize how significant of an effect this has, was the back-to-back conflicts that happened in the middle-east from the mid 1900s to early 2000s. Every generation of the Yaqoub family is affected by war. Alia's mother goes through the 1948 Nakba, and then Alia and her husband and siblings go through the 1967 Six Days War. And once they're in Kuwait, they're surrounded by a melting pot of people from all over the neighbouring nations, each affected by Israel and America in very similar ways. The descriptions we get of death, destruction, starvation, are a stark echo of our current world and makes you realize with indelible anger, how much things have not changed.
The relationship dynamics are frustrating, but understandable. Each character suffers from trauma and reacts to situations differently. I loved Atef because he felt so similar to me as a person–quiet, reserved, retreating to his study to write letters to process his grief and trauma. Alia's character was the most difficult for me to read because of how her actions and reactions to her trauma and grief mirrored those I've experienced irl at the hands of others. And the kids and grandkids...I think these characters specifically are ones a lot of children of immigrants can relate to. The need to get away from your culture and embrace the culture and life of the colonizer, only to realize you miss your family and your language and culture, but have lost access to those things because of time and place. All concluding in nowhere feeling like home because you never feel "enough" to begin with.
I didn't realize the author is a psychologist until I finished this book, but it makes so much sense now with how she wrote these characters and described the effects of trauma between generations.
I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to pick up this book.
The writing was beautiful, lyrical, descriptive. It's quite heavy on narrative over dialogue, which took me longer to read, but being inside these characters' heads, and experiencing their thoughts and desires and confusions, really made this book.
Every character in this book is complex and multidimensional. They're messy, and sometimes (a lot of the times) not likeable at all. But I think the author captured what a real family, touched with intergenerational trauma, war, death, and displacement would be like. And despite not having similar experiences as many of these characters, I saw bits and pieces of myself and my family in them too.
One thing that stood out to me, and something that I think I knew but didn't realize how significant of an effect this has, was the back-to-back conflicts that happened in the middle-east from the mid 1900s to early 2000s. Every generation of the Yaqoub family is affected by war. Alia's mother goes through the 1948 Nakba, and then Alia and her husband and siblings go through the 1967 Six Days War. And once they're in Kuwait, they're surrounded by a melting pot of people from all over the neighbouring nations, each affected by Israel and America in very similar ways. The descriptions we get of death, destruction, starvation, are a stark echo of our current world and makes you realize with indelible anger, how much things have not changed.
The relationship dynamics are frustrating, but understandable. Each character suffers from trauma and reacts to situations differently. I loved Atef because he felt so similar to me as a person–quiet, reserved, retreating to his study to write letters to process his grief and trauma. Alia's character was the most difficult for me to read because of how her actions and reactions to her trauma and grief mirrored those I've experienced irl at the hands of others. And the kids and grandkids...I think these characters specifically are ones a lot of children of immigrants can relate to. The need to get away from your culture and embrace the culture and life of the colonizer, only to realize you miss your family and your language and culture, but have lost access to those things because of time and place. All concluding in nowhere feeling like home because you never feel "enough" to begin with.
I didn't realize the author is a psychologist until I finished this book, but it makes so much sense now with how she wrote these characters and described the effects of trauma between generations.
I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to pick up this book.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
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
3.0
I finally decided to pick up this book to support the author, especially considering what Penguin RandomHouse is doing to them right now with the sequel.
Did I enjoy this? Sort of? But not as much as I wanted. I think sci-fi just isn't the genre for me. I always have trouble understanding how things work compared to plain old magic. And the combination of mechs/chrysalises and the different qi types and how they interact/work made me feel lost.
There were also quite a few moments in this book that took me out of the story. Like when Sima Yi asks Zetian if she's in a love triangle lol. And the bdsm photoshoot...I don't have much to say about that.
Yet, there were parts I related to. A lot of Zetian's experiences living in a patriarchal society and culture where women are used and abused for the benefit of men, and lied to about what they are capable of to keep them timid, obedient, and diminutive was very relatable. So this review is mostly going to consist of quotes from the book that stood out to me that I want to save here.
"He doesn't own me. Nobody does. They may think they do, but no matter how they scold or threaten or beat me, they can't really control what goes on in my head, and I think that frustrates them to no end." (nothing like a girl who has thoughts and feelings and ideas that don't conform to antiquated beliefs)
"Sometimes, my mother's so good at pretending nothing's wrong that it scares me into suspecting I'm the one with the head full of false memories." (ahh classic gaslighting)
"All I need is one sign that they're worth my mercy. One sign that they value my life as much as I'm expected to value theirs."
"It's like she didn't even hear what I said." :)
"But a mother who has failed me so thoroughly is no mother of mine."
"Some of us were born to be used and discarded. We can't afford to simply go along with the flow of life, because nothing in this world has been created, built, or set up in our favour. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force."
"But I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance." MOOD
"Being alive has been painful, exhausting, and disappointing." (honestly how I've been feeling lately)
"It's hilarious. Men want us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds."
"I swear, people cannot make up their minds about who is supposed to be the clueless infants who can't live without supervision: men or women."
"What I have learned through this madness is that you can absolutely solve your problems by throwing money at them. If you can't, you probably don't have enough money for that particular problem."
"Solving problems solves problems." (Me to my therapist)
"It was always the village aunties who'd sit around gossiping about which girl hadn't been married off yet, despite complaining nonstop about their own husbands. And then they'd congratulate new mothers for being 'blessed' to have a boy, despite being female themselves." (the brown/south asian community defined in two sentences)
"All my life, I've been told this is the worst and filthiest thing I could do. Do you know how many times my family threatened to shove me in a pig cage and drown me because they suspected me of getting close with a boy? And now you want me to spontaneously sleep with a guy I hate?"
"You cannot appease someone into loving or respecting you." (something I needed to hear)
"That's how they get you. Framing you as the selfish bad guy if you don't dish out this one thing, just one thing for them. It's bullshit. Listen up: just because you have the capacity to do something for someone, it doesn't mean you have the obligation to, especially when they won't even appreciate you for doing it." (another good one ðŸ˜)
"The entitled assholes of the world are sustained by girls who forgive too easily. And there's nothing I'd like to rid the world of more than entitled assholes."
"I don't know if it's more sad or harrowing that she's been crushed into dust by marriage, yet is ecstatic to see the same hammer swing toward me."
"I don't want to remember, to compare, to confirm that I have always, always, always been nothing but water meant to be hurled out the door to these people. These people, who are the only blood family I will ever have. Who I'm expected to love and defend no matter what."
"This world does not deserve my respect. It is not worthy of my kindness or compassion." (Me @ zionists and Israel and anyone who supports them)
The big reveal we got at the end, I sort of had an inkling about throughout the book, but is very interesting and relevant to current times. Occupiers/settlers are wrong. Doesn't matter if you believe it's your god-given right to live on a piece of land. If your beliefs involve displacing, ethnic cleansing, murdering people, your beliefs are wrong. Just plain and simple. If you associate a religion with some fascist, terrorist ideology called zionism, you are the problem. And your actions, your support, your refusal to see sense are all acts of anti-semitism. You are a disgrace to your faith and a disgrace to the God you apparently believe in. You can cry all the crocodile tears you want because the people you oppress are resisting and fighting back, like they have every right to do. I could care less. Zionists don't deserve rights, just like Nazis don't. Israel has no right to exist, just like any colonial entity has no right to exist.
Did I enjoy this? Sort of? But not as much as I wanted. I think sci-fi just isn't the genre for me. I always have trouble understanding how things work compared to plain old magic. And the combination of mechs/chrysalises and the different qi types and how they interact/work made me feel lost.
There were also quite a few moments in this book that took me out of the story. Like when Sima Yi asks Zetian if she's in a love triangle lol. And the bdsm photoshoot...I don't have much to say about that.
Yet, there were parts I related to. A lot of Zetian's experiences living in a patriarchal society and culture where women are used and abused for the benefit of men, and lied to about what they are capable of to keep them timid, obedient, and diminutive was very relatable. So this review is mostly going to consist of quotes from the book that stood out to me that I want to save here.
"He doesn't own me. Nobody does. They may think they do, but no matter how they scold or threaten or beat me, they can't really control what goes on in my head, and I think that frustrates them to no end." (nothing like a girl who has thoughts and feelings and ideas that don't conform to antiquated beliefs)
"Sometimes, my mother's so good at pretending nothing's wrong that it scares me into suspecting I'm the one with the head full of false memories." (ahh classic gaslighting)
"All I need is one sign that they're worth my mercy. One sign that they value my life as much as I'm expected to value theirs."
"It's like she didn't even hear what I said." :)
"But a mother who has failed me so thoroughly is no mother of mine."
"Some of us were born to be used and discarded. We can't afford to simply go along with the flow of life, because nothing in this world has been created, built, or set up in our favour. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force."
"But I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance." MOOD
"Being alive has been painful, exhausting, and disappointing." (honestly how I've been feeling lately)
"It's hilarious. Men want us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds."
"I swear, people cannot make up their minds about who is supposed to be the clueless infants who can't live without supervision: men or women."
"What I have learned through this madness is that you can absolutely solve your problems by throwing money at them. If you can't, you probably don't have enough money for that particular problem."
"Solving problems solves problems." (Me to my therapist)
"It was always the village aunties who'd sit around gossiping about which girl hadn't been married off yet, despite complaining nonstop about their own husbands. And then they'd congratulate new mothers for being 'blessed' to have a boy, despite being female themselves." (the brown/south asian community defined in two sentences)
"All my life, I've been told this is the worst and filthiest thing I could do. Do you know how many times my family threatened to shove me in a pig cage and drown me because they suspected me of getting close with a boy? And now you want me to spontaneously sleep with a guy I hate?"
"You cannot appease someone into loving or respecting you." (something I needed to hear)
"That's how they get you. Framing you as the selfish bad guy if you don't dish out this one thing, just one thing for them. It's bullshit. Listen up: just because you have the capacity to do something for someone, it doesn't mean you have the obligation to, especially when they won't even appreciate you for doing it." (another good one ðŸ˜)
"The entitled assholes of the world are sustained by girls who forgive too easily. And there's nothing I'd like to rid the world of more than entitled assholes."
"I don't know if it's more sad or harrowing that she's been crushed into dust by marriage, yet is ecstatic to see the same hammer swing toward me."
"I don't want to remember, to compare, to confirm that I have always, always, always been nothing but water meant to be hurled out the door to these people. These people, who are the only blood family I will ever have. Who I'm expected to love and defend no matter what."
"This world does not deserve my respect. It is not worthy of my kindness or compassion." (Me @ zionists and Israel and anyone who supports them)
The big reveal we got at the end, I sort of had an inkling about throughout the book, but is very interesting and relevant to current times. Occupiers/settlers are wrong. Doesn't matter if you believe it's your god-given right to live on a piece of land. If your beliefs involve displacing, ethnic cleansing, murdering people, your beliefs are wrong. Just plain and simple. If you associate a religion with some fascist, terrorist ideology called zionism, you are the problem. And your actions, your support, your refusal to see sense are all acts of anti-semitism. You are a disgrace to your faith and a disgrace to the God you apparently believe in. You can cry all the crocodile tears you want because the people you oppress are resisting and fighting back, like they have every right to do. I could care less. Zionists don't deserve rights, just like Nazis don't. Israel has no right to exist, just like any colonial entity has no right to exist.
Kindling by Traci Chee
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
3.75
I don't know how to collect my thoughts for this book. I was on the fence for so much of it, but by the end, it was like a curtain lifted off the stage and everything just fell into place and it fit and made sense and was done so well to the point that I don't think I'll ever forget this story.
I think the most difficult aspect of this book that took forever to get used to was the second-person narrative. It felt a little confusing at first because if I wasn't paying attention, I would forget which character pov I was reading. But eventually, once you meet all the characters, and start to get to know them, each pov has a very distinctive voice. As I read, I started to realize that the narrator was a kindling who had died and was watching over the characters, telling their story, and as I read more, it made more and more sense.
I think the parts I struggled with besides the second-person pov, was how so much of this book reminded me of Gaza. And like I've said with pretty much every book I've read in the last few months, I keep finding these connections and similarities, and sometimes it's hard for me to enjoy the story for what it is. In this book, however, I had some mixed feelings.
The kindlings are children with magical powers who were taken from their families and forced to become child soldiers to fight in the war, at the cost of their own lives. The two nations at war, Vedra and Amerand reminded me a lot of Palestine and Israel. Amerand wins and the Vedran royalty are exiled, and all my brain could think about was a hypothetical future of Israel winning, and Palestine not existing anymore. These kindlings who survived reminded me of IOF child soldiers, and the "trauma and ptsd" they experienced from killing civilians. It was difficult to digest. I don't know if the author was going for this comparison (probably not), but it's where my mind went.
There's a specific scene in this book, where one character remembers attacking their own village and killing civilians, and they come acrosstheir sister who has been shot through the chest with a handcannon , and all I could think about was Gaza. Later on, when this character is recounting what they remember doing, another character realizes that term used to describe what had happened as "friendly fire". That whole scene felt way too real.
But what especially made this book difficult was Emara's story.
Emara's nation, Chenyara, is taken over by Vedra, and she's taken by them to become a child soldier to fight Amerand. A lot of Emara's culture and heritage reminded me so much of Palestine, especially the textiles and shawls she was collecting and how each pattern and image told a story. Her need to find her family and learn more about her history and past felt so reminiscent of the Palestinian diaspora. But what really made me uncomfortable, was the hatred Leon had towards her. Emara was the "other", the "enemy", and Leon realizing she was more like the rest of them made her angrier because it made the whole war pointless if they were fighting people who were so similar.
A good chunk of this book, I was grappling with the fact that these child soldiers killed innocent people, but because they won, no one really cared about all those lives lost. Yet we see the trauma and ptsd these kids went through, being forced to do things they didn't want, being used as weapons, to be thrown away once spent. And unlike the zionists and IOF soldiers who relish in murdering Palestinians and espouse all the genocidal, ethnic cleansing rhetoric we've heard over the last few months, the same can't be said about the kids in this book (except for Leon maybe who does go through some character development). It did help me move past this and as things got closer to the end, the pacing picked up and things got so intense I was too engrossed in the story to think of anything else.
I do wish arcs came with maps because the final battle would have made a little more sense knowing where things were and who was where. But this battle was probably one of the most realistic battles I've read in YA. It was violent, bloody, heartbreaking, and painful. But it felt so real. A couple quotes especially brought me back to Gaza that I'll mention here:
<blockquote>"Starvation may not be violent, but it still results in death. And that won't be swift. It'll be slow and painful."</blockquote>
<blockquote>"All I have to do is kill enough of you, and you'll never recover."</blockquote>
<blockquote>"The invention of the handcannon changed everything for us, for the world, for you...Who could win against a bullet."</blockquote>
Like I said, this book is difficult to rate and review. I finished this book feeling somewhat in awe at what Traci Chee had done, but with the backdrop of what's happening in our world, this book felt very real and the comparisons to irl made it slightly confusing for my brain to figure out how I truly feel.
I think it is a book I might revisit in the future.
3.75/5 stars
I think the most difficult aspect of this book that took forever to get used to was the second-person narrative. It felt a little confusing at first because if I wasn't paying attention, I would forget which character pov I was reading. But eventually, once you meet all the characters, and start to get to know them, each pov has a very distinctive voice. As I read, I started to realize that the narrator was a kindling who had died and was watching over the characters, telling their story, and as I read more, it made more and more sense.
I think the parts I struggled with besides the second-person pov, was how so much of this book reminded me of Gaza. And like I've said with pretty much every book I've read in the last few months, I keep finding these connections and similarities, and sometimes it's hard for me to enjoy the story for what it is. In this book, however, I had some mixed feelings.
The kindlings are children with magical powers who were taken from their families and forced to become child soldiers to fight in the war, at the cost of their own lives. The two nations at war, Vedra and Amerand reminded me a lot of Palestine and Israel. Amerand wins and the Vedran royalty are exiled, and all my brain could think about was a hypothetical future of Israel winning, and Palestine not existing anymore. These kindlings who survived reminded me of IOF child soldiers, and the "trauma and ptsd" they experienced from killing civilians. It was difficult to digest. I don't know if the author was going for this comparison (probably not), but it's where my mind went.
There's a specific scene in this book, where one character remembers attacking their own village and killing civilians, and they come across
But what especially made this book difficult was Emara's story.
Emara's nation, Chenyara, is taken over by Vedra, and she's taken by them to become a child soldier to fight Amerand. A lot of Emara's culture and heritage reminded me so much of Palestine, especially the textiles and shawls she was collecting and how each pattern and image told a story. Her need to find her family and learn more about her history and past felt so reminiscent of the Palestinian diaspora. But what really made me uncomfortable, was the hatred Leon had towards her. Emara was the "other", the "enemy", and Leon realizing she was more like the rest of them made her angrier because it made the whole war pointless if they were fighting people who were so similar.
A good chunk of this book, I was grappling with the fact that these child soldiers killed innocent people, but because they won, no one really cared about all those lives lost. Yet we see the trauma and ptsd these kids went through, being forced to do things they didn't want, being used as weapons, to be thrown away once spent. And unlike the zionists and IOF soldiers who relish in murdering Palestinians and espouse all the genocidal, ethnic cleansing rhetoric we've heard over the last few months, the same can't be said about the kids in this book (except for Leon maybe who does go through some character development). It did help me move past this and as things got closer to the end, the pacing picked up and things got so intense I was too engrossed in the story to think of anything else.
I do wish arcs came with maps because the final battle would have made a little more sense knowing where things were and who was where. But this battle was probably one of the most realistic battles I've read in YA. It was violent, bloody, heartbreaking, and painful. But it felt so real. A couple quotes especially brought me back to Gaza that I'll mention here:
<blockquote>"Starvation may not be violent, but it still results in death. And that won't be swift. It'll be slow and painful."</blockquote>
<blockquote>"All I have to do is kill enough of you, and you'll never recover."</blockquote>
<blockquote>"The invention of the handcannon changed everything for us, for the world, for you...Who could win against a bullet."</blockquote>
Like I said, this book is difficult to rate and review. I finished this book feeling somewhat in awe at what Traci Chee had done, but with the backdrop of what's happening in our world, this book felt very real and the comparisons to irl made it slightly confusing for my brain to figure out how I truly feel.
I think it is a book I might revisit in the future.
3.75/5 stars
One Year at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-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
3.5
Loved the art and the friendship between Jun and Cassie. Very cute read!
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
3.5
I picked up this book because the title kind of summarizes the last few months (honestly few years) of my life. It follows Baek Sehee as she chronicles the conversations she has with her psychiatrist about her depression. Baek Sehee struggles with low self-esteem, yearns for attention, yet dislikes it, and constantly compares herself to others, while also judging them just the same. It's relatable and uncomfortably accurate at times and I felt like I learned a lot about myself, not just Baek Sehee. One thing that really hit me reading this book was how difficult it is to change as a person when who you are is something that is nurtured into you from childhood. We see Baek Sehee struggle with this throughout this memoir, and even by the end, you know it's something she still struggles with. It's one thing being told my a mental health professional that you should change your thought process, and it's a whole other thing actually putting that into action and having it stick. Our experiences and habits from childhood stick with us and are really hard to let go.
I especially loved the format for this book as it's mostly in dialogue form which makes for a pretty quick and easy read. And I can't wait to pick up the next book once it comes out to read more about Baek Sehee's experience with therapy.
I especially loved the format for this book as it's mostly in dialogue form which makes for a pretty quick and easy read. And I can't wait to pick up the next book once it comes out to read more about Baek Sehee's experience with therapy.
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
Reading the author's note at the end of this book made me realize how few Indigenous books I've read over the last few years. I'm so happy I finally decided to pick this one up at Gretal and Kait's recommendation. They were right. This was a memorable read.
I love Daunis so much as the main character. Her drive and determination to learn the truth, her quick-thinking, but especially the aspects of her Anishinaabeg teachings and spirituality in her day-to-day life. As a Muslim, my faith plays such a huge role in my daily actions, and as the reader, we get to see how important it is for Daunis too. One thing I love about books with Muslim characters is when the author incorporates Islam into the character's actions, thoughts, and words. I can only imagine how nice it is to see something like this for Indigenous peoples picking up this book.
The community aspect in Firekeeper's Daughter, especially in the last couple chapters almost made me cry. It was beautiful seeing everyone coming together to commemorate and remember and heal and mourn. I miss community so much lately, that seeing it on the page makes my heart hurt and makes me wish there was more of it in our world right now.
The romance in this book was cute and did not make me cringe lol. I will say that I was low-key suspicious the entire time because when cops are involved, I just have trust issues. I do love the not-so-subtle digs at cops and the American government. Like literally-
<blockquote>"Scariest words ever spoken: I'm from the federal government and I'm here to help."</blockquote>
Just replace federal government with US military and literally nothing has changed since the early 2000s
I do want to stab a lot of people in this book. And maybe defenestrate someone too. The ending was heartbreaking but unfortunately realistic. We all know now more than ever that justice for Indigenous peoples in the US/Canada and around the world will never happen at the hands of a white supremacist governing body. Not on its own anyway. We have to fight for it every step of the way, and do everything in our power to bring down fascism and racism and zionism, and even that might not be enough.
Like I've said with every book I've reviewed since early October, it's very hard to read a book and not make connections to our world right now. I hope this is a tipping point for Indigenous peoples all over the world.
4.5/5 stars
I love Daunis so much as the main character. Her drive and determination to learn the truth, her quick-thinking, but especially the aspects of her Anishinaabeg teachings and spirituality in her day-to-day life. As a Muslim, my faith plays such a huge role in my daily actions, and as the reader, we get to see how important it is for Daunis too. One thing I love about books with Muslim characters is when the author incorporates Islam into the character's actions, thoughts, and words. I can only imagine how nice it is to see something like this for Indigenous peoples picking up this book.
The community aspect in Firekeeper's Daughter, especially in the last couple chapters almost made me cry. It was beautiful seeing everyone coming together to commemorate and remember and heal and mourn. I miss community so much lately, that seeing it on the page makes my heart hurt and makes me wish there was more of it in our world right now.
The romance in this book was cute and did not make me cringe lol. I will say that I was low-key suspicious the entire time because when cops are involved, I just have trust issues. I do love the not-so-subtle digs at cops and the American government. Like literally-
<blockquote>"Scariest words ever spoken: I'm from the federal government and I'm here to help."</blockquote>
Just replace federal government with US military and literally nothing has changed since the early 2000s
I do want to stab a lot of people in this book. And maybe defenestrate someone too. The ending was heartbreaking but unfortunately realistic. We all know now more than ever that justice for Indigenous peoples in the US/Canada and around the world will never happen at the hands of a white supremacist governing body. Not on its own anyway. We have to fight for it every step of the way, and do everything in our power to bring down fascism and racism and zionism, and even that might not be enough.
Like I've said with every book I've reviewed since early October, it's very hard to read a book and not make connections to our world right now. I hope this is a tipping point for Indigenous peoples all over the world.
4.5/5 stars