halfextinguishedthoughts's reviews
28 reviews

Women, Seated by Zhang Yueran

A look into women’s roles at a more macro level and, more specifically, as mothers. This has really intentional imagery that brings greater depth to the story. It did slow its pace towards the end but Yu Ling’s narration kept me interested. I enjoyed this read. 

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

Blew through this. At times felt a bit abstract/ hard to picture what was happening to our mc, Vern, but there was such ferocious, tender moments here. Solomon has such a poignant writing style. 

Organ Meats by K-Ming Chang

Tender and ferocious. Excellent writing. I went through phases of loving this and phases of feeling at a distance from the text. Chang always had something interesting to say though. 

Hot Milk by Deborah Levy

Overall just felt like a meal without seasoning. 

Milk Fed by Melissa Broder

Strong start and sort of bobbed along after. Check the tw but it navigated ed in what felt like a realistic way. Author tries to make a point opposing Israel and has the mc argue with Zionist characters but didn’t come out the strongest. Free Palestine! 

Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde

Although some stories I connected more than others the end brought them all together. 

Flashlight by Susan Choi

Technically well done just not the book for me. 

The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite

I don’t have many romance books under my reading belt but I liked this one more than most! I wished the two mc had gotten together later in the book. But overall good. 

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

While there are some beautiful moments and it was amazing to read about supportive parents of a trans child I feel like it missed the mark as a whole. Going to a foreign country to ‘see the world’ and learn life lessons trope was a huge point at the end. It began to confuse me how little the parents asked Poppy what she wanted. 

Small Beauty by Jia Qing Wilson-Yang

I’m feeling conflicted about this. On one hand, there’s some really beautiful lines and moments here about queerness and otherness. On the other, it took me a while to sort of figure out who was who and stay connected to the different story lines present.