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alexamidala's Reviews (235)
All-Night Pharmacy was a beautiful, authentic novel discussing generational trauma. The experiences of the unnamed narrator and her sister, Debbie, resonated with me so deeply that it almost made me uncomfortable at times. The narrator grows up with a mentally unstable mother and an unloving sister. As she grows older, she copes by abusing substances. Debbie uproots her chaotic life and disappears without telling her family why or where she's going. All of it felt eerily similar to many of my own life experiences. Finishing the novel felt absolutely cathartic. All-Night Pharmacy is a gorgeous debut novel from Madievsky, and I cannot wait to read more from her.
During a time in Western society in which feminism is used as a tool of capitalism and wearing a shirt with an RBG quote that you bought from Etsy is the ultimate feminist act, it's refreshing to hear a lesbian call for the destruction of the male sex. Unfortunately, I had to knock down my rating due to instances of TERF rhetoric and an overall lack of intersectionality.
One of the most moving, poetic memoirs I've ever read. I loved the way Clement approached Jean-Michel Basquiat's romance with Suzanne Mallouk. Each chapter began with Clement's lyrical writing and was punctuated with Suzanne's actual memories of her relationship with the artist. The result is a raw, yet intimate depiction of the '80s New York art scene.
Know My Name truly left me speechless. Miller writes with such openness and vulnerability, it's truly inspirational. What I deeply appreciated about this memoir is that it wasn't about Brock Turner; instead, it was about how Miller healed from her trauma. I feel like this novel is a guide to becoming whole again after experiencing a traumatic event. This is such an important, heartfelt book, and a must-read if you haven't already.
My Dark Vanessa is a Lolita-inspired novel set in the early 2000s. The story is told from the perspective of Vanessa, a teen girl who is being sexually abused by her highschool English teacher. This story is gut-wrenching and gritty, and Russell does not hold back when discussing the details of the abuse Vanessa suffers. The subject matter is incredibly upsetting and reading certain scenes of this story hurt, but I still could not put it down. This novel is a brutal character study of a victim of sexual abuse and I have no doubt that it will haunt me for years to come.
Cute YA novel with a super likable, diverse cast of characters. I really rooted for Felix and Ezra throughout the novel. Overall, this was a sweet little story that was brimming with queer love and joy.
Meet Cute Diary is a funny little rom-com that is full of trans joy. I liked the premise, and any book where queer kids get a happy ending is going to make me smile. There were even a few lines that actually made me laugh out loud. Unfortunately, I found the main character, Noah, extremely unlikable. He was immature and self-centered throughout the story and I feel like he did not grow at all by the end of the novel. While this book wasn't for me, I am so happy to read a book about queer kids that doesn't end tragically.
Always the Almost is a coming-of-age story about a Miles, a trans high school student who resolved to win back his ex and beat his archenemy at a big piano competition. I really enjoyed how realistic the characters in this novel felt. I also loved Underhill's decision to focus this novel on trans joy. While some of the struggles Miles faces as a trans person do come up throughout the story, the bulk of the book is about his passion for playing piano and his relationship with Eric. Although some moments towards the end of the novel were frustrating, this was still an extremely uplifting, lighthearted story.
3.5 rounded up. I Wish You All the Best is a heartwarming novel about finding your identity and navigating complex family issues. While it deals with many sensitive topics, it still manages to be extremely hopeful and wholesome. Overall, this novel was well-paced, included wonderful non-binary representation, and was a super cute YA romance.