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callmekt's reviews
68 reviews
Chef's Choice by TJ Alexander
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Transphobia
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
[EDIT] THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. The spoiler tags aren't working for me on mobile. Please read this review at your own risk.
Spoilering my review because I want to talk about later plot developments.
<Spoiler> Overall, I liked the first half over the second. Kyr's slow realizations were much more interesting than the timey-whimey shenanigans of the second half.
<Spoiler>I am not big into stories where time travel is a major plot development. I think things start to go off the rails in Part 3 when Kyr gets to the Wisdom node on Chrysothemis and both Magnus and Avi conveniently show up. Without prior understanding of a Wisdom node's security measures, it felt a little farcicle.
<Spoiler>If Part 4 had been a longer segment, I would have DNF'd right there, but Tesh seemed to understand that would have been a stopping point for a lot of readers and brought back the main timeline to keep us going. I was worried that the last part would be another jump away from the original timeline of the first half, but it didn't. Thankfully.
<Spoiler>Part 5 had the most adventure and action. That made it fun and engaging, though I would have liked another moment between Kyr and Lisabel. I think they make a cute couple.
This book talks about sexual subjugation of women, and I was a little worried we would see a graphic rape scene. We did not. I am grateful that this is a book where sexual assault is a central talking point without being graphically depicted.
For readers like me who want to know exactly how a book handles/talks about sexual assault, here is a spoiled list of the mentions:
<Spoiler>
Spoilering my review because I want to talk about later plot developments.
<Spoiler> Overall, I liked the first half over the second. Kyr's slow realizations were much more interesting than the timey-whimey shenanigans of the second half.
<Spoiler>I am not big into stories where time travel is a major plot development. I think things start to go off the rails in Part 3 when Kyr gets to the Wisdom node on Chrysothemis and both Magnus and Avi conveniently show up. Without prior understanding of a Wisdom node's security measures, it felt a little farcicle.
<Spoiler>If Part 4 had been a longer segment, I would have DNF'd right there, but Tesh seemed to understand that would have been a stopping point for a lot of readers and brought back the main timeline to keep us going. I was worried that the last part would be another jump away from the original timeline of the first half, but it didn't. Thankfully.
<Spoiler>Part 5 had the most adventure and action. That made it fun and engaging, though I would have liked another moment between Kyr and Lisabel. I think they make a cute couple.
This book talks about sexual subjugation of women, and I was a little worried we would see a graphic rape scene. We did not. I am grateful that this is a book where sexual assault is a central talking point without being graphically depicted.
For readers like me who want to know exactly how a book handles/talks about sexual assault, here is a spoiled list of the mentions:
<Spoiler>
- Serious talk of Ursula, Kyr's sister, getting raped by Aulus Jole. This includes Kyr's thoughts going from "Jole hurt my sister" to "Jole raped my sister." This is brought up a lot.
- Allusions to the women assigned to Nursery at Gaea Station being raped regularly, and this rape bears children. Not mentioned as often as the first point but still often.
- One of Kyr's friends, newly assigned to Nursery, is led away by a superior officer in front of Kyr, who does not try to stop it.
- Jole kisses Kyr without consent. He also touches her hand and arm and shoulder. Clothes are on throughout the exchange and Kyr gets herself out of it.
- A single mention of Kyr realizing female fetuses are aborted so the majority of births on the station are male. This is only ever mentioned explicitly once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Xenophobia, and War
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Poignant and gothic and sexy. Great prose and pacing. A great story about vampires. A thrilling story of a family abused by their patriarch. Recommended for folks looking for a sexy and/or dark vampire story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Physical abuse and Death of parent
The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
This is a monster book set in space! The last remaining generation ship from a failed colony is overrun with monsters . . . and no one knows it!
Well-paced. Kept me invested, especially when the monsters became a Known Factor that had to be resolved. Brown did a great job of introducing a lot of character-based intrigue before the horrors got going.
I feel the ending wrapped up a bit too cleanly. I would have loved if the story returned to the quid pro quo set up in the first third, with the entire ship now having to deal with the remnants of a monster attack. The whole subplot about the engagements wrapped up too neatly too.
Overall, enjoyable read. Recommended to people in need of something thrilling or gory. Also recommended to people who love monster books, books set in space, and monster books set in space.
Well-paced. Kept me invested, especially when the monsters became a Known Factor that had to be resolved. Brown did a great job of introducing a lot of character-based intrigue before the horrors got going.
I feel the ending wrapped up a bit too cleanly. I would have loved if the story returned to the quid pro quo set up in the first third, with the entire ship now having to deal with the remnants of a monster attack. The whole subplot about the engagements wrapped up too neatly too.
Overall, enjoyable read. Recommended to people in need of something thrilling or gory. Also recommended to people who love monster books, books set in space, and monster books set in space.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Excrement, Vomit, and Abandonment
The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Bullying and Sexual harassment
Is Love the Answer? by Uta Isaki
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Take several textbook definitions of asexuality and smash it in your face a couple times. That's kind of what reading this book felt like to me, an asexual.
This is definitely a book meant to educate others. Good to lend to a friend so long as it's accompanied by the phrase "This is more educational content than a feel-good, heartwarming story."
If you take the character interactions as scripts, you have some nice words to use for when you are confronted with acephobia and arophobia in your daily life. Unfortunately, each interaction presents the best-case scenario for each one. IRL, you'll have to prepare yourself to convince others more (or maybe I just have a stubborn family).
Read entirely in a single evening.
This is definitely a book meant to educate others. Good to lend to a friend so long as it's accompanied by the phrase "This is more educational content than a feel-good, heartwarming story."
If you take the character interactions as scripts, you have some nice words to use for when you are confronted with acephobia and arophobia in your daily life. Unfortunately, each interaction presents the best-case scenario for each one. IRL, you'll have to prepare yourself to convince others more (or maybe I just have a stubborn family).
Read entirely in a single evening.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
Minor: Sexual assault
Sexual assault happens briefly at the very beginning and doesn't happen the rest of the book.
Acephobia and arophobia rampant because the book is dedicated to educating you on asexuality. Which means dismantling some common acephobic thoughts.
The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, and War
Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Religious bigotry, and Outing
Minor: Toxic relationship and Vomit
The whole book is about a queer woman working in the wedding industry in a red state during a time where being queer wasn't as widely accepted. She also works at a bar and attends a lot of weddings (hence the alcohol).