bookishends's reviews
465 reviews

Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology by Jess Zimmerman

1.5

Women and Other Monsters was certainly a read. The only thing that saved this rating was that the ending of the book was much stronger than the beginning. In general, this book would have been much better if the author hadn’t included how much she hated herself. 

Laying out all her insecurities over the course of her life and loosely relating them to mythological monsters became quite exhausting at times. And some of the conclusions she tried to make about the monsters were loose and unsupported by what she had talked about anecdotally in the chapter. 

There were times I could relate to her talks of womanhood, especially when it came to her own thoughts on children and motherhood, but there were also times where I was utterly thrown off, like with her talks on her own sexuality which read like internalized queerphobia.

Overall, while there were some very deeply hidden gems, this book was a true labor to finish.

Prince of the Palisades by Julian Winters

5.0

“It's easy to forget history. The places you come from. Where life ended so yours could begin. But it's just as simple to get tangled in the past. To accept the now as the happy ending rather than the next step to what can be.”

Prince of the Palisades might be my favorite Julian Winters book so far! I’m a big fan of royals books and shows, and this book managed to incorporate all of my favorite elements from those while also breathing fresh air into the concept with the focus being on Black characters! 

Expectations, mistakes, and speaking out all take a different shape with the intersection of race and sexuality. So, while the book kept a warm, lighthearted YA tone, it also didn’t shy away from diving into Jadon’s mental health and frustrations.

Reiss is my baby boy for real, and I’m equally obsessed with his family. The entire cast of this book captured my heart and attention though. And the gentleness and care with which sex was talked about and explored in the book made me emotional as I imagined teens being able to read how the experience should go for them.

I can’t say enough good things about this book and definitely recommend it for anyone who loves a blend of royalty and substance and teen messiness!

*Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending me a finished copy. All opinions are my own*

We Are Each Other's Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land, and Legacy by Natalie Baszile

4.5

I had no idea going into this book that I was going to become so enamored with it, but it truly made me more passionate about getting my own land and reconnecting with my roots. 

I loved reading the wisdom different farmers had to give throughout the book and seeing the differences in experiences for those who grew up farming or had family farming with them versus those who set out on a new path with little resources or help. 

The only parts of the book that didn’t always resonate with me were the poems, and occasionally I found some of the intricacies of the loan history going over my head, but that reinforced how much the system was meant to confuse Black people and keep them from accessing the help they needed. 

I would definitely recommend this book so that Black people can get an understanding of all that’s been taken from us and continues to be taken from us but also to see the hope and perseverance happening in spite of that. 

And though I had never read anything by Baszile before, I’m interested in picking up Queen Sugar now since some of the story and making of the book and show was detailed in this anthology.

This Close to Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

4.5

This Close to Okay felt like such a unique read, and the story went places I couldn’t have imagined. I was immediately sucked in as I couldn’t get enough of Tallie and Emmett’s dynamic. This isn’t a book you can review in depth without spoiling it, so I’ll keep it surface level, but the author did such a good job at exploring mental illness and what it looks like to show up as our authentic selves. And more importantly, why it’s sometimes easier to be that person with a stranger than with the people that know you. There was a stream of consciousness vibe to the book that I found captivating, and I loved how much the setting contributed to the story. And even the minor characters I all found interesting (Joel can go to hell though). This is definitely one of my top reads of the year so far.

Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey

3.0

Rest is Resistance was a thought-provoking read. I most enjoyed reading about the nap experiences, the author’s family’s experience with rest, and her reasons for incorporating rest in her life. There was a lot of repetition, but it makes sense since this is a sort of a meditation and is meant to help you ingrain these ideas. Overall, I wasn’t blown away because the book didn’t land how I expected it to, but it made me do some reevaluation, so I’m glad I read it.

Food Without Fear: Identify, Prevent, and Treat Food Allergies, Intolerances, and Sensitivities by Ruchi Gupta

4.0

Food Without Fear was a very useful read. As someone with allergies and masqueraders that are currently ruining her life, it was the perfect time for me to pick up this book. I think its content is most useful for parents, but I still found a lot of gems about contributing factors and the science behind allergies. I also enjoyed the positive angle the book took as the author brought up the advances the field has made and is continuing to make. It did feel a little repetitive at times, but it wasn’t a big problem for me. Overall, I think this is a good read for anyone curious about allergies and differentiating them from other ailments.

The Complete Persepolis: 20th Anniversary Edition by Marjane Satrapi

4.0

I read Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood for the first time in the 10th grade and was enamored by it. This book was probably one of the sparks for me taking several classes about Iran in college and learning Persian. Marjane told a story that, while wholly hers, also spoke of her family and a certain consciousness of the Iranian people. Her humor, rebellious nature, and naiveté at times brought her experiences to life. This was also a book that was meant to be presented in a graphic format as it conveys her story more powerfully than the written word could do alone.

I had never read Persepolis: The Story of a Return before, and while I enjoyed it, that portion of the book didn’t resonate with me as much as the first half did. But I still appreciated seeing the way Marji felt both torn in Austria and upon her return to Iran. I liked seeing her achievements and missteps as she got older, especially when it came to her attempts at making friends and being in relationships. 

Overall, I’d still recommend the complete edition of Persepolis, and by the end, I wanted to keep following Marjane’s journey.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

5.0

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde was everything to me. From the dual timeline and multiple perspectives to the tinge of magic and the Blackness of it all, this story felt so intentionally crafted. The genre blending was very smooth, and I found myself just as taken with the Harlem Renaissance setting as the contemporary one. 

This story was made to get lost into, and after the first three chapters, I knew this was going to be a book that I loved. Ricki herself was so easy to understand and root for. I loved her eccentricity, desire to make her own name, and insecurities. Her connection with Ms. Della was beautiful to witness as I thoroughly appreciate intergenerational friendships. Although, their relationship went a lot deeper than just friends. Ezra’s backstory was quite tragic, but I loved that he created a lane for himself with his talent. And he and Ricki were a match made in heaven.

The way everything connected and came together by the end felt so rewarding. And even though I knew how the story would end, I cried anyway. I was as emotionally invested as one can get in a fictional world with fictional characters. And while I rarely reread books, I could genuinely see myself revisiting this one to experience all the feels again. At the very least, I need to read Seven Days of June too.

The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World by Tiffany Yu

5.0

The Anti-Ableist Manifesto was everything I could have wanted and more. I loved that the author used the Me, We, Us framework to section the book and included several disabled voices. I also learned a lot about disability history that I wasn’t aware of and that sparked my own research. 

This is a great read for the disabled and non-disabled alike. For the disabled, it can expose you to more diversity of thought and introduce you to concepts or resources you might not have been aware of. As a chronically ill person, I took away a lot.

For non-disabled people, I think it has the potential to change your whole perspective on disability, whether that’s through making individual changes or advocating for systemic changes. And as mentioned in the book, there’s a possibility of becoming disabled at some point in your life, so you never know when the knowledge you gain from this book could help you or a loved one in the future.

And if you’ve read Disability Visibility, this takes some of those stories even further into tangible actions the reader can take.

I can’t say enough good things about this book. It leaves you feeling energized that change and creating a disability-inclusive society is possible.

*Thank you to Hachette for sending me an ARC of the book. All opinions are my own*

Flamboyants: The Queer Harlem Renaissance I Wish I'd Known by George M. Johnson

4.5

The title Flamboyants is genius. I didn’t know a lot about the important figures of the Harlem Renaissance before reading this book, but it made me eager to dive into some of the histories and work that I’ve been missing out on. This is a great introduction to the period for teens as it gives them an overview of who the figures were while also giving them the freedom to dive into the work themselves with suggestions by Johnson of pieces/songs/etc that resonated with them. I’ve read Johnson’s two previous books, and this one contains the same amount of sincerity, humor, and wisdom. They don’t shy away from describing the reasons some of these talented individuals weren’t able to fully express themselves and their queerness. And I loved the way Johnson weaved their own story and opinions into the biographies. Palmer’s art is also absolutely stunning, and adds so much to the book. Would definitely recommend this book for teens and adults alike.

*Thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy. All opinions are my own*