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bookish_bailee's reviews
111 reviews
Sunny Disposition by Deanna Grey
5.0
That was the cutest thing I’ve read in such a long time.
Sweet characters, adorable banter, and plenty of tension and yearning. I also love the plot structure — there is no third act break up, but that doesn’t result in a loss of interesting conflict.
I often avoid sports romance because toxic masculinity/misogyny seems to be very common for this sub genre — Sunny Disposition did not suffer from this. Finn learns to face and communicate his emotions after a trauma, and grows in healthy, vulnerable peer relationships.
Naomi similarly begins to heal from her trauma, and has supportive relationships and hobbies outside of the romance.
I’m so excited to read more from this author.
Sweet characters, adorable banter, and plenty of tension and yearning. I also love the plot structure — there is no third act break up, but that doesn’t result in a loss of interesting conflict.
I often avoid sports romance because toxic masculinity/misogyny seems to be very common for this sub genre — Sunny Disposition did not suffer from this. Finn learns to face and communicate his emotions after a trauma, and grows in healthy, vulnerable peer relationships.
Naomi similarly begins to heal from her trauma, and has supportive relationships and hobbies outside of the romance.
I’m so excited to read more from this author.
Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
5.0
Beautifully written and illustrated, wonderfully candid, and an absolutely essential exploration of identity + how gender affects all facets of life, particularly as a young person.
I Hope We Choose Love: A Trans Girl's Notes from the End of the World by Kai Cheng Thom
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
5.0
Insightful, candid, and compassionate, this is a powerhouse of a read.
“I have to believe that another way of seeing, of speaking, of being with one another is possible. That compassion and forgiveness and generosity might join justice and accountability and survival as the core values of our movement. That we might learn to develop tools for reconciliation, even as we hone our tools for battle.”
“I have to believe that another way of seeing, of speaking, of being with one another is possible. That compassion and forgiveness and generosity might join justice and accountability and survival as the core values of our movement. That we might learn to develop tools for reconciliation, even as we hone our tools for battle.”
Forever Is Now by Mariama J. Lockington
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Absolutely and all-around stunning.
A coming-of-age novel in verse, Forever Is Now explores identity, mental health, relationships, and existence as a Black woman in America. Each topic was handled with nuance, depth, and care, and I felt every emotion along the way.
I fell quickly in love with the characters for their realism and personality, but also for their nurturing love of one another. Sadie is funny yet honest, fearful yet courageous, traumatized yet hopeful. She is a thoughtful friend and sibling, and I found myself often in tears as she moved through her story.
Sadie’s struggle with health and climate anxiety in the wake of the pandemic resonated deeply with me, and the discussion of social activism, relationships, generational trauma and grief are all incredibly impactful.
I can’t recommend it enough.
A coming-of-age novel in verse, Forever Is Now explores identity, mental health, relationships, and existence as a Black woman in America. Each topic was handled with nuance, depth, and care, and I felt every emotion along the way.
I fell quickly in love with the characters for their realism and personality, but also for their nurturing love of one another. Sadie is funny yet honest, fearful yet courageous, traumatized yet hopeful. She is a thoughtful friend and sibling, and I found myself often in tears as she moved through her story.
Sadie’s struggle with health and climate anxiety in the wake of the pandemic resonated deeply with me, and the discussion of social activism, relationships, generational trauma and grief are all incredibly impactful.
I can’t recommend it enough.
The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
adventurous
fast-paced
5.0
This is top tier fantasy.
The alternate world is immersive and full of intricacy, and at no point did all of that complexity come in the form of an info-dump. I love the inclusion of parables and excerpts at the beginning of each chapter and felt that they served the world building in a smart and balanced way.
The characters are nuanced and human, and the progression of their development individually and in relation to those around them was very believable. I can’t choose a favorite, I love them all so much.
The alternate world is immersive and full of intricacy, and at no point did all of that complexity come in the form of an info-dump. I love the inclusion of parables and excerpts at the beginning of each chapter and felt that they served the world building in a smart and balanced way.
The characters are nuanced and human, and the progression of their development individually and in relation to those around them was very believable. I can’t choose a favorite, I love them all so much.
The Montessori Toddler: A Parent's Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being by Simone Davies
3.0
A very accessible and enjoyable-to-read overview of facilitating a Montessori-style home. It was comprehensive if also at times repetitive, with actionable ideas and activities that I am looking forward to applying. I also appreciated the check-lists and visuals and will likely be referring back to these.
My greatest complaint about modern appropriations of Montessori is the socioeconomic privilege that often comes with the territory. Dr. Maria Montessori was class-conscious and sought to bridge the education gap caused by the class divide. Her observations and philosophies were developed with children from underprivileged backgrounds foremost in mind, and yet in the modern applications it is most often families with social or financial privilege who have the greatest access to Montessori schools, "Montessori" marketed materials, time, communal support, etc. I do not feel that this book did a particularly good job addressing this problem and fed into the "montessori aesthetic".
My greatest complaint about modern appropriations of Montessori is the socioeconomic privilege that often comes with the territory. Dr. Maria Montessori was class-conscious and sought to bridge the education gap caused by the class divide. Her observations and philosophies were developed with children from underprivileged backgrounds foremost in mind, and yet in the modern applications it is most often families with social or financial privilege who have the greatest access to Montessori schools, "Montessori" marketed materials, time, communal support, etc. I do not feel that this book did a particularly good job addressing this problem and fed into the "montessori aesthetic".
Every Drop Is a Man's Nightmare by Megan Kamalei Kakimoto
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Eerie, visceral and stunning, this collection of short stories is a phenomenal debut that reminds me of Her Body and Other Parties.
Each story has a strong and distinct voice, with nuanced exploration of gender, identity, culture, sexuality, body relationships, generational grief, and so much more. They’re grisly and potent, and written with an indisputable talent for storytelling.
Each story has a strong and distinct voice, with nuanced exploration of gender, identity, culture, sexuality, body relationships, generational grief, and so much more. They’re grisly and potent, and written with an indisputable talent for storytelling.