anxious_bibliophile's reviews
19 reviews

Sailor Moon Eternal Edition 2 by Naoko Takeuchi

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

adventurous 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

5.0

Mamacita: Recipes Celebrating Life as a Mexican Immigrant in America by Andrea Pons

hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

Hello, Molly! by Sean Wilsey, Molly Shannon

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

5.0

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Torture, and Child abuse

We Carry Their Bones: The Search for Justice at the Dozier School for Boys by Erin Kimmerle

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

“You don’t have to look too far to find injustice in Florida.”

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Non Fiction True Crime

This story is not for the faint of heart, but it’s important not to ignore the darkness of American history. 

WARNING: Child Abuse, Violence, Racism, Murder

True Crime is always best written by those who have been involved personally, in my opinion. 

Erin Kimmerle not only explains the science behind her forensic anthropology work, but tells the stories of these lost boys with empathy and compassion.

This is also an intense look at how the need for cheap labor led to the rise of for profit prisons where inmates could be legally forced to do slave labor. 

At least 50 boys died while attending Dozier and didn’t even get treated human enough to have their names properly documented. “Throwaways” one townswoman had called them, there is no such thing as throwaway children. 

Let me end by saying THANK YOU to Erin Kimmerle for the work she and her team continue to do!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Enjoyed feels like the wrong word, but this book was so informative.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Child death, Racism, Torture, and Police brutality

Minor: Rape

Finding Me by Viola Davis

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls by Kathleen Hale

challenging dark informative tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Bullying, Mental illness, and Violence

Minor: Sexual harassment