illtakethenightshiftx's reviews
184 reviews

Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew

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informative fast-paced

4.0

A quick, yet extremely informative, primer about disability, ableism, and the technology and systems that are intertwined together. There were some topics I wish the author delved into greater detail, but overall it was a really great introduction to learning about ableism and disability justice. I definitely recommend this for anybody, but specifically for able-bodied and neurotypical folks, who are interested in learning about disability and moving towards a truly liberated world but may not know where to start.
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Authority by Jeff VanderMeer

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tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Honestly, I have no idea what happened in this book. The beginning and the end are the strongest parts while the middle is very much a jumble of reality and paranoia. I think that’s the point, and it made for a very confusing and surreal reading experience, which is not unlike the confusion and murkiness that Area X exists within. 
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The most heartbreaking and visceral, yet beautiful and tender book I’ve ever read. Wow, wow, wow.
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To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers

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adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Nobody can do it like Becky Chambers!!! I laughed, I cried, I reflected on so many things. My heart is so full.
New Adventures in Space Opera by Jonathan Strahan

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adventurous medium-paced

3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC!

This anthology is full of rich, creative stories from some heavy-hitting sci-fi/fantasy authors and it was really cool to see so many compiled in one release!

Like many anthologies/collections, stories can be hit or miss. Unfortunately, there were more misses and ‘middle of the road’ stories for me. I was also a little disappointed that while the collection is titled “New Adventures,” all of these stories have been published elsewhere previously. That being said, there were some stories that were stellar and stood out over others. 

I would definitely recommend this to folks who love space-centric science fiction and space opera stories!

Favorites include:
“Belladonna Nights” by Alastair Reynolds
“All the Colors You Thought Were Kings” by Arkady Martine
“A Good Heretic” by Becky Chambers
“The Last Voyage of Skidbladnir” by Karin Tidbeck
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The Italy Letters by Vi Khi Nao

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.
DNF @ 33%

This was pitched as an epistolary novel, but instead, it’s one long letter that’s much more stream of conscious and not letter-like at all. There’s something about the protagonist that’s really rubbing me the wrong way and that I’m not enjoying. This style of writing isn’t my jam, especially if the protagonist isn’t going to grow/learn, but I can definitely see folks who like books like this - messy protagonist, “no plot, just vibes,” and stream-of-conscious writing.

Unfortunately, I won’t be finishing this. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!
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Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
I have so many questions - when on earth is this supposed to take place? Why do the characters say “kinda” and slang terms? Why is every single chapter in the first person (and like 6 pages long)?!

I do not know what I expected, but it definitely wasn’t this so I’ll be putting this down and not returning to it. I think I see the appeal (???), but, honestly, I’m not sure :/
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen

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informative medium-paced

4.25

Extremely informative!! I learned so much about asexuality and aromanticism that I can tangibly use in my every day life and broadened my understanding of sexuality.
At times, it felt slightly repetitive and hard to follow individual stories (which could be bc if the audio format) but overall it was a fascinating and deeply informative read.
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Boulder by Eva Baltasar

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emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Lush, gorgeous prose telling the story of motherhood and what it means to be (or not to be) a mother. I really liked this and there’s a lot here that I’ll be ruminating on for a long time.
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Hombrecito by Santiago Jose Sanchez

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

3.5

Full review soon
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