aztlan's reviews
237 reviews

Queer as Folklore: The Hidden Queer History of Myths and Monsters by Sacha Coward

3.25

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Queer As Folklore walks the reader through various areas of popular folklore and mythology, connecting similar tales from cultures across the globe and pointing out their similarities and the ways in which queer people relate. I appreciated how Coward drew on a broad range of cultures, rather than focusing on the most commonly known folklore, and quoted or referenced members of those cultures on their stories.
Unfortunately, I often felt like the connection to queer culture was a bit of a reach. While some folklore figures such as fairies and unicorns do have an undeniable link to queer iconography, I sometimes felt like the discussions of the creatures and queer culture were unrelated, or only very distantly related.
Additionally, at times the writing felt quite dense. This may have been partly because I didn't see the connection between topics, but I felt like I really had to focus to take in what Coward was saying. I did enjoy the way he wrote, but it required me to pay attention.

Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 51%.

ERROR: Emotional capacity not available. Please try again later.

The Summer List by Katia Rose

Go to review page

4.0

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Katia Rose is a long-time favourite author of mine, and I have been lucky enough to review ARCs of several of her standalones in the past few years. I was very excited to get a chance to read her debut YA novel, and I hope you will enjoy it too.

The Summer List is a delightful summer romance, following an anxious teen, Naomi, as she and her friends attempt to make the most of their summer before they start college. This is somewhat interrupted by the arrival of Andrea, the daughter of the owner of the house.

As per usual, Katia Rose has delivered us a book filled with laughter and joy, while still giving her characters plenty of depth, with them each having individual problems and feelings to work through. I didn’t connect with these characters quite as much as I have in previous books, but I think that’s simply because I’m no longer a teen girl trying to figure out my identity. They still felt like completely real people, with individuality and quirks.

Overall, The Summer List was a bright and warm addition to a rather cold winter. I’d definitely recommend it, especially if you’re generally a fan of YA romance because it is a great read and a very strong YA debut.

Kinky History: The Stories of Our Intimate Lives, Past and Present by Esmé Louise James

Go to review page

Did not finish book. Stopped at 47%.

Life is simply too busy right now, and I don't have the mental energy. Another Day™

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

Go to review page

tense fast-paced

Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.25

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for providing an honest review.

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White has big shoes to fill, coming after Hell Followed With Us and The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, and although it is not my favourite of his books, he has once again delivered us an excellent story.

In Compound Fracture, Andrew Joseph White’s character work shines. Each character is truly unique, and the way the pressures of this small town’s past impacts each of them is clearly demonstrated. From our morally-gray lead, Miles Abernathy, to his friends Cooper and Dallas, who each respond to the hardships they’ve been through very differently, the cast of antagonising characters and the rest of the town, each person has a different story to tell.

I always love seeing how differently Andrew Joseph White portrays the identities of his characters and their experiences. While I can’t speak to the autistic or aromantic representation in this book, I appreciated seeing once again a new facet of the trans experience in this book. Although Miles’ parents are generally fiercely supportive of him in general throughout the book, they (particularly his mother) struggle when he comes out to them. I really felt for Miles here, who naturally was hurt by his parents lack of acceptance, but his parents were certainly not downright awful parents either, which makes it hard to express that hurt. This tension is something a lot of trans (and queer people in general) can experience, and it’s very challenging to have someone love you so much, except for once key aspect of who you are.

I think this book didn’t suck me in quite as much as his previous books because while neither of the previous settings were any more relatable to me than this one, they also do not exist in this world. The small Appalachian town Compound Fracture takes place in could very well exist, as far as I know. This is not my story, but it is someone else’s story, and I appreciated getting to experience and understand the worldview of a person who, despite having suffered due to the local social and political climate, is loyal to the place they are from, and wants to change it for the better, rather than simply moving away to somewhere more accepting.

Once again, an excellent book from Andrew Joseph White and I’m very excited for his upcoming adult debut.

Content Warnings