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eliya's reviews
127 reviews
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
the writing is immediately captivating from chapter 1 to the end I was not bored once, finished this in three days and it would have been faster if i hadn’t run out of listening hours on spotify (lol)
r.f. kuang does a great job of slippery-slope seemingly innocent thoughts that spiral into racist thoughts / beliefs
the plot circles its tail a few times towards the end which wasn’t great, it felt like it should have ended like three times and the ending rly could have been any person and worked out the same way.
r.f. kuang does a great job of slippery-slope seemingly innocent thoughts that spiral into racist thoughts / beliefs
You Just Need to Lose Weight: And 19 Other Myths about Fat People by Aubrey Gordon
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Love Aubrey Gordon, she always does the most research possible and gives you information in a very compassionate, gentle way, which was a theme in this book. She provides on-the-nose examples to explain her point of view, she does not cut any corners to say what she needs to say. I have been a vigilant listener of her podcast Maintenance Phase for a while now and there still so much information or different ways that she says things that have me reflecting my own anti-fatness as a fat person.
This was a difficult listen for me, first in how defensive I noticed I got of course, second in how somber Aubrey’s tone is the whole time she was reading. The undertone was suffering and while absolutely necessary, definitely made me take longer over the course of this book. In her podcast, the information is easier to bite because of how jokey and conversational she and Michael Hobbes are, and even in her last book “What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat,” she had a pretty conversational tone. This one was very heavy. Necessary!! Just consider having space for emotional heaviness when you read this book.
I also love love love how she organized this book, into 20-30 minute listens/reads for the 20 myths that you can share // refer back to.
This was a difficult listen for me, first in how defensive I noticed I got of course, second in how somber Aubrey’s tone is the whole time she was reading. The undertone was suffering and while absolutely necessary, definitely made me take longer over the course of this book. In her podcast, the information is easier to bite because of how jokey and conversational she and Michael Hobbes are, and even in her last book “What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat,” she had a pretty conversational tone. This one was very heavy. Necessary!! Just consider having space for emotional heaviness when you read this book.
I also love love love how she organized this book, into 20-30 minute listens/reads for the 20 myths that you can share // refer back to.
Marxism-Leninism-Maoism Basic Course by Communist Party of India (Maoist)
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
The Funtastic Frida B. by Kate Frankey
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
fun short read with great illustrations and rhymes, a good 2-3 minute bed time story about an opossum and her two moms
Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
(personal reflection) When my dad died, and after, I kept thinking of all the guilty memories I have, all the times I’d let him down. I didn’t get to know my dad as a whole human being before, but I know he loved us. My childhood sucked and I was abused and he did his best to love us. My mom could never understand what she did wrong, when we talked about her abuse, she just gave the reasoning that that’s how she thought to love us, that’s how you raise kids. My whole family thinks that love is the shape of hurt.
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fuck me, man. this was tough. i read this book just in time for a book club to discuss it, and i didn’t cry until the acknowledgements.
sarah gailey’s writing is so incredibly intimate, a lot of reading this felt like guilt dripping down my back mixed with the cold nakedness of being alone with the words.
sarah gailey’s writing is so incredibly intimate, a lot of reading this felt like guilt dripping down my back mixed with the cold nakedness of being alone with the words.
pg. 320:
“We didn’t ask to be born, did we? We did t ask to have to soak up their sings and their expectations. All we ever did was love them, and all they ever did was hurt us.”
…”He loved us, though,” … “more than anything.”
“Oh, he loved us both as best as he could,” … “He tried to build us strong and steady and whole. But he didn’t keep us safe. He didn’t know how to shelter us from all the hurt that was waiting, because he thought that hurt was the shape of love.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence
Minor: Vomit
All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
My brain is swollen with thought. I took a deep, deep breath when I closed this book. It took me so long to read, it is very very dense. Multiple times a chapter I sat and reflected on what I had read, and I am truly grateful that this book was lovingly recommended to me by other people.
I realize I am fearful and gatekeepy when it comes to loving.
Bell Hooks is such a thoughtful writer, I often got lost and had to double back. There is so much information and i do wish the flow was a little more conversational, though I’m unsure how effective that would be. The narrative is also pretty gendered & there’s a religious undertone, so take with that what you will. I did love this book regardless.
I realize I am fearful and gatekeepy when it comes to loving.
Bell Hooks is such a thoughtful writer, I often got lost and had to double back. There is so much information and i do wish the flow was a little more conversational, though I’m unsure how effective that would be. The narrative is also pretty gendered & there’s a religious undertone, so take with that what you will. I did love this book regardless.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship
It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
just as quick a read as the first one, which i do love about colleen hoover books. she attempted to do the same fake-aware bs that she did in the first one but she wasn’t as bad in this one.
i’m happy i read this book, it took me about 8 hours in-app (im a slow reader).
i’m really happy we got to see atlas and lily have their happy ending. really nice to see best-case scenarios work out
i’m happy i read this book, it took me about 8 hours in-app (im a slow reader).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Classism
Minor: Death of parent
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
i was really hoping that this was gonna end with the five of em living their best lives. this is hopelessly devastating.
the scene that steinbeck paints is very well done. heavily descriptive just up to the point where it sets the scene, no further, which i appreciated bc i get dizzy with too much detail. quick read, horribly packed with internal conflict. poor george. poor lennie. poor mae. i strongly believe that steinbeck was not “demonstrating bias of the period” so much as participating in it heavily.
i’ll think about this book for a while.
interaction where lenny grabs hold of a woman’s dress and won’t let go, she is terrified and says he tried to rape her
heavy use of the n word
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
the scene that steinbeck paints is very well done. heavily descriptive just up to the point where it sets the scene, no further, which i appreciated bc i get dizzy with too much detail.
i’ll think about this book for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship
Minor: Rape
Calypso by David Sedaris
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
an alright book, some fun anecdotes, i really enjoyed the beginning few chapters more than the rest of the book. i listened to the audiobook and i’m glad i did, his comedic timing is very good. i related a lot to his experiences, parent dying at 62, dead sibling. it was good.