bkwrm1317's reviews
200 reviews

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

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challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

Medina’s Sisters of the Lost Nation will reel in readers with the plot, but absorb them with the reflections and themes about 2S folks, MMIW/R (missing and murdered indigenous women/relatives), and more. 

While the Takoda people are an amalgamation of many tribal peoples, they are representative of so many Indigenous and Tribal experiences in the US. 

I really enjoyed the folk horror elements of the story, including the revenge-seeking rolling head. While not my typical five star novel, this one really kept me engaged and turning the pages. 
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Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

My first read by this author did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the multiple timelines and play with time-space with the technology of the Wisdom. While this wasn’t a 5 star read for me it WAS solid! 

Check CWs. Really a very solid debut novel. 
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Disability and Empire: Class, U.S. Imperialism, and the Struggle for Disability Justice by Joyce Chediac, John Peter Daly, Jane Cutter, Sunil Freeman

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informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.75

An interesting (and quick) foray into what it means to be disabled under empire in the United States in the 21st century (and some history), as well as how the US empire has disabled people all over the world. Some interesting ideas and possibilities explored in examples outside of capitalist imperialist medical systems for disability rights and disabled folks. 
A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 68%.
This felt like a slog at every step. Really truly just not for me 🤷🏽‍♀️ characters didn’t feel compelling nor relatable, just made me sleepy every single time I picked it up. 
The Otherwise Normal Life of Charlton Smith by J.R. Bennett

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Read the first three or so chapters and did not get any more invested in the story nor main character (what felt like a self absorbed, whiny man for me personally). Might be enjoyable for fans of works that are fantastical and attempt to follow in the footsteps of the British greats. Not sure I see the same greatness here, but it’s simply not for me. 
The Changeling by Victor LaValle

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What a journey this one was! Kept me up til 2:30a then finished the next afternoon! 
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My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

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dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Solid middle of the line read of Hendrix on this one. Not my favorite, but not bad either. Components I really enjoyed included brother Lemon and his antics, among others. 
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A truly solid read by Ibáñez. That ending though! What!? How!? I need more!!! 

Loved the plucky Inez, her cousin, her uncle, Abdullah his brother in law, and of course Whit. 

Not often does a novel of this kind surprise me with a plot twist, but Ibáñez managed to do so. I’ll be reading more from her soon, I’m sure. 

I loved the balance of ancient Egypt with a magical system that actually felt unique, with glimpses into the past. 
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The Sacrifice by Rin Chupeco

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Interesting little horror novel by Chupeco (which they do fairly well for my tastes!). This one feels a bit like folk horror across the seas but definitely enjoyed! 
The World's End by Rin Chupeco

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Solid close to Chupeco’s series that brought so many fairy tales from so many different cultures into one world for our rag tag group of found fam.