emma_b_rhodes's reviews
106 reviews

Shut Up You're Pretty by Téa Mutonji

challenging emotional fast-paced

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

4.75

I BLEW through this. Loved it. Lots of sex and assault which sometimes worked really well and sometimes felt gratuitous. Many disturbing and shocking points where I gasped out loud. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Abortion, Pregnancy, Alcohol

How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

sUCH a beautiful and affirming book. I'm so glad I came across it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Dysphoria

Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood

dark emotional reflective 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

4.25

I love it when poets write novels! This book is beautiful and weird and there’s a lot of sex in it. Think poetic queer AI Frankenstein? 

From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley

emotional sad fast-paced

4.75

A really good audiobook listening experience! Julia roberts as lisa marie, riley keough as herself, and audio clips of the real lisa marie before her death. A really sad and beautiful story to read following priscilla's memoir as like a study in generational trauma. It's really lovely and devastating how much lisa marie loved being a mother. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Suicide, Grief, Death of parent, Sexual harassment

First Love by Gwendoline Riley

dark sad tense slow-paced

2.5

I found this book really triggering tbh. Do not recommend if you've been abused by one or more narcisistic/insecure & projecting men 👍. The dialogue was good/realistic though. I think it would be a good book for a reader who is not me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Gaslighting

Bad Weather Mammals: Poems by Ashley-Elizabeth Best

dark emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

Beautiful heartwrenching gross and lovely poems!!!!!!!!!!

Heliotropia by MANAHIL. BANDUKWALA

emotional hopeful medium-paced

5.0

Beautiful love poems!! My favourite thing. Made me cry. 

Recognising the Stranger: On Palestine and Narrative by Isabella Hammad

hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Necessary for anyone who works in books/humanities and who want to believe in the "power of language."

Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr

funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

If I could give this a 4.85 I would. It's better than a 4.75 but not quuuiiitteee a 5 star read for me. Still, a great book!!! Would recommend. Worth the hype. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Drug use, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Murder, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Murder

Most of All the Wanting by Amanda Merpaw

4.75