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carleesi's reviews
757 reviews
Hana: The Audacity to Be Free by Hana Assafiri
5.0
Hana is an absolute legend. I’ve had the honour of meeting her and attending the Moroccan Soup Bar during my stay in Melbourne. It was such a safe and welcoming space where I had thoughts challenged, my mind expanded and my heart warmed.
Reading her story transported me back to the smells and sights of that space and I was engulfed in the feeling of community that Hana has worked tirelessly to promote. What an amazing person and what an amazing book.
Reading her story transported me back to the smells and sights of that space and I was engulfed in the feeling of community that Hana has worked tirelessly to promote. What an amazing person and what an amazing book.
The Very Secret Sex Lives of Medieval Women: An Inside Look at Women & Sex in Medieval Times (Human Sexuality, True Stories, Women in History) by Rosalie Gilbert
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 60%.
I got bored.
The introduction made it seem like medieval women got to be a lot more sex positive than I realised but that was the introductory equivalent of click bait.
The introduction made it seem like medieval women got to be a lot more sex positive than I realised but that was the introductory equivalent of click bait.
A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Caña
3.5
A fun and enjoyable romance. It was nice to read a romance that’s not chock full of bigoted garbage.
I didn’t love the infantilisation of Abuelo and Granda at the beginning. And the conflict was a bit too much.It felt excessive that her whole family and her best friend cut her off. And then they magically stopped being toxic a few days later and faced up to everything they’d done wrong? It was a bit much. Also, why didn’t we get a bestie reunion at the end???
I didn’t love the infantilisation of Abuelo and Granda at the beginning. And the conflict was a bit too much.
The Boy in the Dress by Jonathan Butler
4.75
What an incredible book! Johnathon’s weaving of his own history with that of his murdered relative makes for a very engaging, often gut wrenching story.
I do wish he’d given a bit more of a content warning before some of the more gruesome aspects of the crimes he describes.
The importance of queer history can never be understated and stories like those in this book help reinforce how important it is that we keep fighting today.
I do wish he’d given a bit more of a content warning before some of the more gruesome aspects of the crimes he describes.
The importance of queer history can never be understated and stories like those in this book help reinforce how important it is that we keep fighting today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Murder
Moderate: Suicide
Can I Steal You for a Second? by Jodi McAlister
2.75
Heartbroken that I didn’t love this more. It was really angsty and repetitive and I was hardly invested in the story but I pushed through cause bisexual wlw.
The first book seemed more fun and like the very silly setting was more of a lighthearted aspect of the story than this one.
The first book seemed more fun and like the very silly setting was more of a lighthearted aspect of the story than this one.
The Sister by Sung-Yoon Lee
3.0
Learnt some interesting things but this book wasn’t really about Kim Yo Jong. The first half of the book would mention her in the very last sentence of the chapter and then move on to a different topic. It was a book about North Korea.
The chronology was really confusing, and there were so many people who were introduced to try and remember for only one or two events, it was quite hard for me to follow at times.
The chronology was really confusing, and there were so many people who were introduced to try and remember for only one or two events, it was quite hard for me to follow at times.
Detective Beans: And the Case of the Missing Hat by Li Chen
5.0
This book is magnificent. The art is so expressive and fun and cute and the story is perfectly silly. I love detective beans.
Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia by Samantha Faulkner
3.75
The authors in this book paint a beautiful picture of the Torres Strait Islands, culture, languages and people. I came to this book wanting to understand more about Torres Strait cultures and peoples and I feel like I got a good introduction. I’ll be looking up the authors to keep reading more.
The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.
I really wanted to get into this book but physics just goes so far over my head, I can’t concentrate on it when I can’t grasp the basic theories. I’d like to try this book again one day when I have more capacity.
Here for the Right Reasons by Jodi McAlister
3.5
The first half of this book was very fun. Such a silly setting and it was constructed really well.
The second half kinda lost me. The repetitive angst about the same thing, the slow crawl toward the end. I also just didn’t care about Dylan. He felt a bit hollow as a character. I think the strength of the setting meant that there wasn’t the space to really construct his character.
I love the representation even if it felt tokenistic much of the time.
I’m definitely going to be reading the next one in the series because I absolutely devoured this.
The second half kinda lost me. The repetitive angst about the same thing, the slow crawl toward the end. I also just didn’t care about Dylan. He felt a bit hollow as a character. I think the strength of the setting meant that there wasn’t the space to really construct his character.
I love the representation even if it felt tokenistic much of the time.
I’m definitely going to be reading the next one in the series because I absolutely devoured this.