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bookish_afrolatina's reviews
368 reviews
Reel by Kennedy Ryan
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Chronic illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Infidelity, Medical content, and Vomit
Minor: Pregnancy
Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
I can’t believe I finally finished this trilogy. It’s one that will definitely sit with me for a long time because I love books that make the reader question what it means to be a good or bad person. For about a week, I’ve lived inside this book and felt a roller coaster of emotions. The Kaul’s and all of the characters in these books are extremely flawed but Lee portrayed each person with such complexities, individuality, and empathy that I felt connected to them. I desperately want to see this trilogy as a film series or streaming show.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, War, Medical trauma, Murder, Medical content, Torture, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Suicide, Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Sexual content, and Drug abuse
Minor: Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Abortion
The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.25
This book was pretty devastating. The many povs were so realistic and I felt like Emezi was really patient with creating each narrative. This was a soulful read. I probably won’t read it again but I’d recommend it to those who have already read other Emezi works like You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty because both books are quite messy. Otherwise, this may not be the book for you.
This may seem annoying to some but I could have done without the incest element here. I was also surprised by how many sex scenes there were (not full blown but at least partially described) but such is life, I suppose! The ending was very unexpected for me which made it all the more heartbreaking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Incest, Grief, and Domestic abuse
Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars: A Dangerous Trans Girl's Confabulous Memoir by Kai Cheng Thom
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was a super short book and I listened to it on audiobook via the Libby app (library books ftw).
When I first picked this up, the only reference I had for a memoir steeped in magical realism was Carmen Maria Machado's In the Dream House. I realized very quickly that Fierce Femmes is a completely different thing! While this book is still full of fantastical elements and absurdities, it is a novel/faux memoir.
The main character is a trans girl who is the daughter of Chinese immigrants (in Canada, I believe) who live in a crooked house in a city called Gloom. Her parents are abusive so, although she feels guilty about leaving her sister, she knows running away will be for the best.
The MC is a self-described liar so we already know we have an unreliable narrator, which made this kind of intriguing. I loved the stories of connecting with other femmes in the pleasure district and the MC's journey of enforcing consent. It's a much needed discussion when others feel as though they are entitled to your body.
This novel includes:
transphobia, consent, sex work, drug use and abuse, found family, love, murder, revenge, adventure, and hot ghosts, among other things.
When I first picked this up, the only reference I had for a memoir steeped in magical realism was Carmen Maria Machado's In the Dream House. I realized very quickly that Fierce Femmes is a completely different thing! While this book is still full of fantastical elements and absurdities, it is a novel/faux memoir.
The main character is a trans girl who is the daughter of Chinese immigrants (in Canada, I believe) who live in a crooked house in a city called Gloom. Her parents are abusive so, although she feels guilty about leaving her sister, she knows running away will be for the best.
The MC is a self-described liar so we already know we have an unreliable narrator, which made this kind of intriguing. I loved the stories of connecting with other femmes in the pleasure district and the MC's journey of enforcing consent. It's a much needed discussion when others feel as though they are entitled to your body.
This novel includes:
transphobia, consent, sex work, drug use and abuse, found family, love, murder, revenge, adventure, and hot ghosts, among other things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Drug use, Murder, Hate crime, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Homophobia, Transphobia, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
Since I couldn't get a hold of the print copy in time for this read-a-thon, I ended up listening to it on audiobook via the Libby app, which was great!
I really enjoyed this story despite this anxiety that catfishing give me 😂. Felix is a sweet kid who has been through some shit & I'm glad he had the space to explore the complexities of it. I was a little bit surprised at the amount of cannabis use throughout the book, but it's not like I can say whether or not that's authentic as I'm not a teenager & I don't live in NYC. The best part about this book for me, aside from Felix's friendship with Ezra, was the depiction of a person questioning who they really are & realizing that this may be a lifelong journey instead of arriving at an identity destination.
❗content warning❗: there are a lot of instances of transphobia throughout.
I really enjoyed this story despite this anxiety that catfishing give me 😂. Felix is a sweet kid who has been through some shit & I'm glad he had the space to explore the complexities of it. I was a little bit surprised at the amount of cannabis use throughout the book, but it's not like I can say whether or not that's authentic as I'm not a teenager & I don't live in NYC. The best part about this book for me, aside from Felix's friendship with Ezra, was the depiction of a person questioning who they really are & realizing that this may be a lifelong journey instead of arriving at an identity destination.
❗content warning❗: there are a lot of instances of transphobia throughout.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing, Transphobia, Deadnaming, and Bullying
Moderate: Gaslighting and Drug use
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
When I first saw the cover of this book and read the description, I was expecting a tale about aristocratic vampires drawing in poor young women. In a way, this is what the book was about but in less of a fantastical way. Henderson turned this into a narrative about greed, manipulation, emotional abuse, and literal depiction of the poor feeding the rich. I love that she uses this bloody, sapphic, gothic tale to make one really wonder if it’s better to be an intimate servant of the upper class or continue struggling in the slums.
Marion isn’t your typical naive and innocent mc being pulled into a life of sin. She’s hardened and practical about her circumstances. Most of the time, I could understand her thought process.
It’s understandable to become attached to someone who is abusive to you when they are the provider, whether that be monetarily, emotionally, etc. They have something that may be keeping you going but meanwhile, they are sucking you dry and isolating you.
Well-written book, very morbid, and detailed.
Marion isn’t your typical naive and innocent mc being pulled into a life of sin. She’s hardened and practical about her circumstances. Most of the time, I could understand her thought process.
It’s understandable to become attached to someone who is abusive to you when they are the provider, whether that be monetarily, emotionally, etc. They have something that may be keeping you going but meanwhile, they are sucking you dry and isolating you.
Well-written book, very morbid, and detailed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Drug abuse, Blood, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Sexual content
Incantations for Rest: Poems, Meditations, and Other Magic by Atena O. Danner
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
Thank you to Skinner House Books and inSpirit for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I took my time with Incantations for Rest because I wanted to consume it whenever I felt the need to. This made for a great experience as I felt like I was always reading the Poems, Meditations and Other Magic at the right moment.
This short book is packed with incredibly insightful and impactful messages that gave me space to contemplate how I’ve been treating myself. It gave me a lens in which to view the world, my place in it, and how I want to live. There were so many times when I stopped and pulled out some sticky tabs to mark a new favorite poem or meditation. I think I actually tabbed 11 of the pieces.
While I highly recommend this book to everyone, I believe it can be especially powerful for Black women and femmes.
I took my time with Incantations for Rest because I wanted to consume it whenever I felt the need to. This made for a great experience as I felt like I was always reading the Poems, Meditations and Other Magic at the right moment.
This short book is packed with incredibly insightful and impactful messages that gave me space to contemplate how I’ve been treating myself. It gave me a lens in which to view the world, my place in it, and how I want to live. There were so many times when I stopped and pulled out some sticky tabs to mark a new favorite poem or meditation. I think I actually tabbed 11 of the pieces.
While I highly recommend this book to everyone, I believe it can be especially powerful for Black women and femmes.
A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Blood, and Death
The Witchery by S. Isabelle
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I had high hopes for this book. The cover is gorgeous and I was hype for a witchy book with BIPOC leads taking place in Florida? I rarely see my home state featured in cool stuff like this.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with this novel because there were too many POVs. Or maybe it just felt that way when I listened to the audiobook. The plot had so many directions that adding the multiple POVs made me feel lost sometimes. The narrator for the audiobook also didn’t do a good job with the Southern and British accents. That made me even less into the book.
As I’ve seen many other folks say, Logan annoyed me multiple times, but the ending was meant to explain that.
At any rate, it was a good book.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time connecting with this novel because there were too many POVs. Or maybe it just felt that way when I listened to the audiobook. The plot had so many directions that adding the multiple POVs made me feel lost sometimes. The narrator for the audiobook also didn’t do a good job with the Southern and British accents. That made me even less into the book.
As I’ve seen many other folks say, Logan annoyed me multiple times, but the ending was meant to explain that.
At any rate, it was a good book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, and Child abuse
Minor: Alcohol