domskeac's reviews
382 reviews

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan

hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Read this for my local library’s book club and I’m so glad I did. I am not a big historical fiction person but this was a realllly interesting perspective on Palestine, not just about the naksa and the Palestinian diaspora, but about class within the Palestinian community. 

Highly recommend this one, especially for people familiar with the history of Palestine. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Be a Revolution: How Everyday People Are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World—and How You Can, Too by Ijeoma Oluo

challenging informative inspiring slow-paced

3.5

Because this book is so long and features so many interviews, I think I would have been able to absorb it better if it were a podcast. Oluo does amazing work and this is a clear community project that’s worth absorbing. 

Survival Is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde by Alexis Pauline Gumbs

challenging hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

The most poetic autobiography I've ever read. Gumbs weaves in the natural world and poetry and mysticism so effortlessly in her reverent writing of Lorde's life. A true pleasure to read.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

5.0

Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic by Esther Perel

5.0

I recommend to anyone with a significant other for a really refreshing take on the psychology of modern coupledom: we all need stability (safety) and change (eroticism). This book talks about how to balance both with a partner.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

5.0

HBD Michelle Obama! To celebrate, I finished your book today! I loved Becoming: a love letter to the southside and to the Black women who got Barack Obama into/through the presidency. Was a needed model of womanhood and authenticity around marriage for me right now.

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

5.0

For Girls/Femme Group with my youth group, we read We Should All Be Feminists. What a great intro to feminism for my 11-17 y.o. students! Best quote of the night, "I've never really heard feminism used as a negative stereotype, so I don't get why people wouldn't be one." 😭🥰

[Critique: it's pretty binary. I'd love to see a re-release with some slight alterations on the binary language used very sporadically throughout.]

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

5.0

Finally finished this small 800 page pamphlet today.

Bet it will be a big hit. 💃🏽🥳 #ForTheThrone

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

5.0

If I ever write a book about my life, the compass for it will be my friendship with my mom. Let it be known that Trevor Noah did it first! Loved reading Born A Crime this week.

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

5.0

*Feels impressed having finished the 750 page Game of Thrones in January and then this, the 950 page Clash of Kings yesterday.*

Opens up book three today: 1150 pages. 😭 Ah, the things we do for love... (of GoT.)