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caglareads's Reviews (120)
thank you to @andrewsmcmeel & @netgalley for this alc!
Be Straight With Me is a memoir in verse about a young straight white woman’s relationship with her gay best friend, which is somewhere between friendship and love. the book is written solely from the pov of the straight woman.
boy, did I hate this book. I was very sceptical from the start because I expected that, the author being the straight person in this relationship, she wouldn’t have much to say about why this relationship was the way it was. I was right. I really didn’t like the author, neither did I like the gay man she was in a weird relationship with. I think they’re both toxic, trying to have something with each other but at the same time not wanting to commit to one another, and both of them just in general wanting different things but still holding on to each other. when she said she wanted to keep the guy straight, I threw up a little in my mouth. when she said she would “let him do the gay thing”, I wanted to throw my phone across the room. I think the author is an incredibly jealous person who thought that the reason she couldn’t keep this guy is because he was gay, and not the fact that maybe he just didn’t want to be with her in the end. when they’re having a threesome she loves it when both people focus only on her, but as soon as they turn away to make out with each other she storms out of the room. toxic much? I think so.
this story should have been told from the guy’s pov; it was not her place to tell his coming out story and to speculate on his sexuality, when he could have told his own story and actually made some meaningful contributions instead of the author’s empty guesses that only had to do with her insecurities as a young woman. I didn’t gain a single thing by listening to this and honestly I don’t think anyone will, so I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone.
Be Straight With Me is a memoir in verse about a young straight white woman’s relationship with her gay best friend, which is somewhere between friendship and love. the book is written solely from the pov of the straight woman.
boy, did I hate this book. I was very sceptical from the start because I expected that, the author being the straight person in this relationship, she wouldn’t have much to say about why this relationship was the way it was. I was right. I really didn’t like the author, neither did I like the gay man she was in a weird relationship with. I think they’re both toxic, trying to have something with each other but at the same time not wanting to commit to one another, and both of them just in general wanting different things but still holding on to each other. when she said she wanted to keep the guy straight, I threw up a little in my mouth. when she said she would “let him do the gay thing”, I wanted to throw my phone across the room. I think the author is an incredibly jealous person who thought that the reason she couldn’t keep this guy is because he was gay, and not the fact that maybe he just didn’t want to be with her in the end. when they’re having a threesome she loves it when both people focus only on her, but as soon as they turn away to make out with each other she storms out of the room. toxic much? I think so.
this story should have been told from the guy’s pov; it was not her place to tell his coming out story and to speculate on his sexuality, when he could have told his own story and actually made some meaningful contributions instead of the author’s empty guesses that only had to do with her insecurities as a young woman. I didn’t gain a single thing by listening to this and honestly I don’t think anyone will, so I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone.
thank you to @buttonpoetry & @netgalley for this e-arc!
Ain’t Never Not Been Black is a poetry collection surrounding Black pain, Black pleasure and Black love, by describing experiences from the author’s personal life as well as social issues that hit the African-American community more generally.
this. was. phenomenal. reading this poetry collection was such a visceral experience. the author uses language so beautifully, yet in a way that makes the themes (especially those poems surrounding Black pain) hit so hard. as a non-Black POC I will never be able to fully understand Black pain, but this poetry collection brought me a little bit closer to that. it is not an easy read at all, it was even quite upsetting at times, but it is so worth it. I read this entire collection in a single sitting and was left wanting more, so my only complaint would have to be that it’s not long enough.
what I also really liked is how accessible the poetry is. the language is not unnecessarily overcomplicated and there is even some slang used throughout. add to that the discussion of contemporary socio-political issues, and you’ve got a poetry collection that is accessible even to those people who don’t normally read a lot of poetry but are interested in venturing out. so whether you’re an avid poetry reader, or are just starting to explore this genre, I’d highly recommend this beautiful collection!
trigger warnings for racism, racial violence, police brutality & the death penalty.
Ain’t Never Not Been Black is a poetry collection surrounding Black pain, Black pleasure and Black love, by describing experiences from the author’s personal life as well as social issues that hit the African-American community more generally.
this. was. phenomenal. reading this poetry collection was such a visceral experience. the author uses language so beautifully, yet in a way that makes the themes (especially those poems surrounding Black pain) hit so hard. as a non-Black POC I will never be able to fully understand Black pain, but this poetry collection brought me a little bit closer to that. it is not an easy read at all, it was even quite upsetting at times, but it is so worth it. I read this entire collection in a single sitting and was left wanting more, so my only complaint would have to be that it’s not long enough.
what I also really liked is how accessible the poetry is. the language is not unnecessarily overcomplicated and there is even some slang used throughout. add to that the discussion of contemporary socio-political issues, and you’ve got a poetry collection that is accessible even to those people who don’t normally read a lot of poetry but are interested in venturing out. so whether you’re an avid poetry reader, or are just starting to explore this genre, I’d highly recommend this beautiful collection!
trigger warnings for racism, racial violence, police brutality & the death penalty.
