just_one_more_paige's reviews
1527 reviews

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

“I don’t know what I want. I said that at some point, I think. But it isn’t that, it’s that I don’t want anyone to tell me what I want, or to make decisions for me.”

This is one of those books/series that it seems like everyone has read, and loved, and most of that everyone has recommended it to me. And I knew (now: know) that I would love it too. But I was just slow in picking it up. Because, reasons. But I packed it last-minute for a recent trip. (It's so small, I didn't even feel guilty about bringing another book. Lol) And once I picked it up. I powered right through it all on a single flight leg!

On a faraway planet in the distant future, a team of scientists is conducting tests (What kind? Who knows? Who cares? ...not Murderbot.) Along on this mission is the titular Murderbot, a Company-supplied SecUnit, a droid, who has managed to hack its own governor module and is now self-aware (and gave itself the name “Murderbot,” thank you). Scornful of humans and their jobs and squabbles, all Murderbot wants to do is be left alone, watch its serials, and hopefully ride under the radar so no one figures out its "rogue." However, when another mission on the other side of the planet goes dark, the scientists, and now apparently Murderbot (who likes this group better than most human groups, he supposes), to find the truth (and not die in the process).

Well, everyone was right. This was an absolute joy to read. It was an escapist, fun sci-fi adventure that felt really fresh and totally entertaining. Also, the narrator was so original, snort-laugh levels of funny, and honestly very relatable in its reactions to being around humans.

Some of the world-building is super quick, because of the novella length. And a few things, you just have to accept partially getting it and move forwards. Eventually, the details click into place enough to understand the greater story, and the parts that stay fuzzy don't matter enough to matter (if you know what I mean). This feels pretty classic "epic sci-fi" to me, so I’m used to that on a grander scale and it didn’t bother me. Plot-wise, things were basic (because they have to be, see the length) but action-packed and fast-paced and well-developed.

Final comment: there was some hilarious low key commentary on the money-hungry operating procedures of large corporations. And that is something I can always get behind.

Yup. A snarky and awkward narrator, a delightful plot, some classic sci-fi aspects, and a one-sitting escapist read (knowing it's a series and Murderbot's adventures can continue in more fun, episodic novellas to come). Yes, please.

Content Warnings

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

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dark funny 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? No

4.0

Oh, y'all. Kingfisher is fast becoming a favorite author of mine (though through personal preference, I'm careful in selecting away from some of her heavier horror pieces). Anyways, I was very excited to see this Grimm's Goose Girl retelling pop up on my NetGalley homepage, and even more excited when my request was approved.

Cordelia's mother is a sorceress. An evil one. One who refuses to let her have privacy, friends (other than their horse, Falada), and sometimes enchants, taking over her body and forcing her to obey. When her mother sets her sights on marrying the wealthy lord of a remote country manor, Cordelia is uprooted from the only life she's ever known. They're now living at said lord's house and Cordelia's life is opening up in ways she never expected. She's found friends (and a mentor) in the lord's unmarried sister, Hester, and her society friends. Hester can tell that something is off with Cordelia, the way she shrinks away from her mother. And Cordelia is realizing that she cares about these new people and doesn't want them to fall prey to her mother's scheming. Between them, they'll have to come up with a plan that saves them all from the sorceress' powers.

Phew, Kingfisher is always crushing it with the very real-life-adjacent creepy factor. This “obedience” thing is the stuff of nightmares. Body controlled by someone else while your mind is still in there and knows it? No thank you. Along with that particular horrific feature, the magic aspects in general are all really well done. It's subtle magic, nothing big and flashy, and all sort of "understood" or in connection with the earth/nature, in ways that Kingfisher doesn't spend too much time explaining. If you prefer more explicit magic systems, just be aware of that. The only aspect that felt a little like it didn't fit, to me, was the part with the ghost (when she - no spoilers on who she is - starts speaking to Cordelia). It's definitely creepy, which fits the vibes, but I wasn't as sure if it fit the story.

Plot-wise, there is really smart story building throughout. It’s small scale and simple, but so elegantly done. The tension build, as everyone starts to realize how much power Cordelia's mother actually has, and the horror she can bring (and does bring - phew, there is some real bloody violence in these pages), as they race against time (and without many resources) to stop her is fantastic. I felt it in my body while reading. And yet, Kingfisher balances that tension and horror with some fantastic general flippancy, impropriety, and irreverence (especially in Hester and Penelope and Imogene's characters - loveeeed them!). And the dialogue is sooooo dryly humorous, that it really softens the horror to perfection.

Speaking of the dialogue. I must say more about it. The dialogue everywhere, between everyone (especially when Hester is involved…but also Alice, Evermore, Penelope Green), was all so good. It was packed with nuance and double meaning and wry humor. Magnificent. Also, the small details, like the consistency of Hester’s nagging knee pain, are done so well (often enough that they’re realistic, but never dragging down the narrative). Plus, ayyyyy I saw that reference to Nettle & Bone as they searched Evermore's library. Oh! And the title was perfect. Kingfisher is just a spectacular writer.

A last note, about Cordelia and her mother (Evangeline). Cordelia’s actions, her responses to her mother...oooof, the abuse is terrible and heartbreaking and it is upsetting to read. Evangeline is a wayyyyyy toooo real a big bad. I do, though, wish we had more insight into Evangeline’s goals/purpose and mindset - her WHY - and background. It seemed flimsy? Perhaps a chance for a spinoff?! Regardless, I was *very* ready for the comeuppance piece of the story, and it was cathartic when we got it. A super good, creepy, fitting finale to the tale for Evangeline. And some softer, more tender, and well-deserved endings for everyone else involved as well.

While there were a few small aspects that I would have wanted a little more from, overall this was a great read.

"Like many men not overly encumbered by intelligence, he had a great deal of cunning in avoiding personal unpleasantness."

"Such is the problem of beauty. Once it is imperfect, the admiration it has won you is at an end."

"But you can never count on people to die just because it would make your life easier."

"And suddenly she was calm. It was the calm of a burned-out house or a ravaged field, the calm that comes where there is no longer anything to lose. It was almost like being invincible."

"Let him reflect on the reagent that is his: the salt that comes of earth, the water that is borne on the swift stream, and the wine that is made of growing grapes and the art of man. For salt bars the entry of the shadowed ones; water fills the space it is given and washed away that which is impure; and wine binds the space between the seen and unseen, even as it binds the bargains struck between men."

Content Warnings

The New Camelot by Robyn Schneider

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.0

Y'all, I have been waitingggggg for this finale. This trilogy has been the hilarious queer magical YA King Aruthur retelling escapism of my dreams and I was so ready for this last book.

The Goodreads blurb: "Everything is finally going right for Emry Merlin. Now that Arthur is the king and her wayward magic is under control, she’s enjoying life as Camelot’s official court wizard—and as Arthur’s girlfriend. But when an unexpected visitor arrives at court, Emry finds her hard-won position threatened. And Arthur is torn between listening to his advisors and following his heart. Even more troubling, war is on the horizon, with King Yurien’s access to dark magic ensuring Camelot’s doom. That is, unless Emry, Arthur, and Lance can find a way to defeat the evil sorceress Bellicent with magic from her own world. But undertaking a quest to Anwen is perilous business, and our young heroes will face many obstacles on their journey—from dangerous beasts to suspicious nobles to cursed maidens determined to find someone to marry.Can Emry and Arthur save their kingdom and fix their relationship, or will they have to choose between their future and Camelot’s?"

Well, let me get the iffy thing out of the way first. If I'm being honest, the writing is pretty choppy, bouncing from scene to scene and chapter to chapter with less smoothness than in the last two. It's not bad writing, it's more like, bad cuts between scenes? Like there is so much to get into this final book that it's almost rushed. And there were lots of great elements! For real, there were maybe too many of them. I do feel like the flow started settling by about a third of the way in (or perhaps I just got accustomed to the choppiness by then). But the pacing remained just a little off throughout (in particular, the journey to Anwin in this one felt...slow, and maybe unnecessary, to me?). Overall, solid, but just lower quality writing and pacing than the previous.

Character-wise, SChneider continued to crush it with this YA cast. Oh, the Arthur-Emry angst is so real! Guin is awesome (and really comes into her own here) and the juxtaposition of her and Emmett happily trading "traditional" gender roles is a favorite aspect of mine. I love love Gawain. Like, I legit forgot how much I love this rewriting of his character. And speaking of rewritings, I love the remake Lance gets as well. They all kept their personalities and joking fun, balanced with increasing responsibility and stress that comes with age. The newest addition in this last book, Sir Tor, plays a phenomenal quiet, outside-the-institution, different-POV, advisor role that does a gorgeous job illustrating the importance of even just one trusted adult in a young person’s and the effect that can have on their life/mental health/resilience. Even the "bad guys," like Morgana and Mordred got really creative remade character arcs. I thought they were dynamic and fresh and I liked them a lot.

On the other hand, I'm going to be honest here, I just hated Emry’s dad so much. Every part he was in gave me UGH feels. He was the worst as a parent and role model. While he was written in well, and it gave space in the narrative for a really mature development in parent child-relationships (the younger realizing the older will not change, the older accepting the younger has surpassed them in many ways, and both working towards acceptance of that), I just wished he wasn't there. I felt like his presence really took away from some of the lightheartedness of the first two books and wished he could have stayed disappeared and Emry/Emmett could still have had coming of age arcs in other ways. Personal preference.

Anyways, despite my hatred of the elder Merlin, there were overall fantastic character growth and story arcs. All the realizations and growing-ups that happened were spectacular. Plot-wise, I wasn’t sure how this was going to be to wrap (the ending isn’t really a happy one in the traditional tales), but it was so perfect! Some magical pieces that were "convenient," of course, but the mix of original and predictable was done well. And the ultimate finale was an absolutely hilarious twist on the most famous quest in western history! Loved that. Way to keep the fun vibes to close the series.

In the end, this series was just SO much fun, so good. It was lively and diverting and entertaining from start to finish.

“She could feel herself becoming smaller. Lesser. [...] The negative space in relation to powerful men, rather than her own person.”

“They both held themselves arrogantly, like men who had the kind of power that couldn;t be taken away. Like men who expected the whole world to respect them, and bend to their will. The worst part was, it too often did.” (it’s not subtle, but it’s YA...and it’s not wrong)

“He’d just have to learn. He was good at learning. Besides, no one was born knowing how to do a job they’d never had.”

“How will we learn from our mistakes if we don’t make any?”

“You defend those who cannot defend themselves. And you inspire others to do the same. This world you dream of, where anyone can earn their place regardless of gender, or station, or whom they love is one that I would very much like to help you build.”

“He should have decided sooner that he didn’t care what people thought. It wasn’t worth exhausting himself trying to live up to everyone else’s impossible and exacting standards.”

“I’m saying that whatever is haunting you isn't you. It's just your fears. And you can be fearful and brave at the same time. You don't have to be only one thing.”

Content Warnings

The Book of Love by Kelly Link

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adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

This one sounded up my alley - magic and a friend group dealing with unexpected supernatural occurrences. And the start-of-autumn vibes had me ready to dive into a longer book that I could get lost in.

I finished this right before a vacation, and then of course read quite a few books while on said vacation, and I am now woefully behind on reviews. So, I'm borrowing a blurb from Goodreads: "Late one night, Laura, Daniel, and Mo find themselves beneath the fluorescent lights of a high school classroom, almost a year after disappearing from their hometown, the small seaside community of Lovesend, Massachusetts, having long been presumed dead. Which, in fact, they are. With them in the room is their previously unremarkable high school music teacher, who seems to know something about their disappearance - and what has brought them back again. Desperate to reclaim their lives, the three agree to the terms of the bargain their music teacher proposes. They will be given a series of magical tasks; while they undertake them, they may return to their families and friends, but they can tell no one where they’ve been. But their resurrection has attracted the notice of other supernatural figures, all with their own agendas. As Laura, Daniel, and Mo grapple with the pieces of the lives they left behind, and Laura’s sister, Susannah, attempts to reconcile what she remembers with what she fears, these mysterious others begin to arrive, engulfing their community in danger and chaos, and it becomes imperative that the teens solve the mystery of their deaths to avert a looming disaster."

Well, this book was all about the vibes. The plot had that slow build to an inevitable (likely unpleasant) conclusion, but no one (not the MCs and definitely not the reader) have any idea why or how it's happening and what to do to stop/change it. The magical aspects were *just* this side of creepy (but totally readable for this scaredy-cat, so not too bad truly), and had a similar slow build (in understanding how it worked and in its role in the story) that paralleled the plot build perfectly. It all unfolded pretty slowly (like I said, this was a longer read), but since I was looking for something to get lost in, that was just right for my reading mood. With this being like, a supernatural mystery story, that pacing allowed for me, as the reader, finding things out alongside our (many) narrators in a way that felt very realistically paced (considering how much out-of-the-ordinary and coming-to-terms-with-stuff the mystery situation was).

The pacing also really gave Link's writing time to shine...which, wow, it was great writing. What a focus on the small details of life, and the little ways it can all be *just* off, and how that can be so disconcerting. There are also some repeated motifs (seagulls, the couch, guitars, moths, splinters, music in general, romance books, etc.) that were well done, in how consistently - obviously, but not too in your face, in a variety of ways - they were woven in. There was also some absolutely spectacular character development. I mean, Laura, Daniel, Mo, and Susannah were phenomenally nuanced. They were the perfect combination of smart and snarky, for teens. And the complexities of their relationships with each other, and with others in their lives, give all the credit for depth that teens are often denied (in fiction and IRL). There was first love, friendship, sister/family relationships, and whole buckets of jealousy, confusion, hope, guilt, ambition, frustration and just enough joy/fun to balance the rest. Our primary extra characters, including Thomas, Malo Mogge, Mr. Anabin, Bogomil, Carousel, and the mysterious Bowen, were also given quite a bit of page time and depth, considering their position as "side" characters. Last note on the writing... I think it’s hard, with a book like this, to write the ending. Link actually addresses that head on in the narrative, bringing it to a close in the best possible way (truly). And yet, it still feels not quite settled. Spending so long with these characters and this story, and with so much more to come, and with such a breadth of development personally and plot-wise, it’s almost just too big for a finale. Again though, I think Link does the best possible.

As promised, by the title and the blurb, there were just so many styles of love given space and recognition in these pages. Link give us platonic and friendship and forced and unrequited and on/off and worship and young and first and without end/forever and romantic and settled and firey and caregiver to a young one not their own/a young one to a caregiver not their primary and queer/discovery and familial/siblings/parents *and* the ugly side that brings out revenge "in memory of it," despite that not being the kind of love the carrier believes it to be. It's just gorgeous, all-encompassing love in this book.

I don't always do this anymore, but I had some very strong readalike vibes during this and wanted to share. If you read and loved The Book of Love, I highly recommend Middlegame, Plain Bad Heroines, and Hell Bent - for the writing/storytelling style and the story/plot itself. Or alternatively if you have read and loved any of those, you should definitely give The Book of Love a go.

“Bigger things, engaged in their own affairs, their own concerns, never notice when, in consequence, smaller things are made to suffer.”

“…and if I am safe from the world, why should the world be safe from me?”

“…what you are now is not what you may someday become.”

Content Warnings

Real Americans by Rachel Khong

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emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I don’t know why this one. No really “good” reason. I just saw this one around a lot and it seemed everyone was enjoying it. So, I gave it a try.

In a blurb that borrows heavily from Goodreads: Real Americans begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love. In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can't shake the sense she's hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than answers. And in the near future, Nick and his grandmother cross paths unexpectedly, and the full story of the family history all comes out. Can the family relationships mend and recover or are they broken forever?

This is written in that common “contemporary” lit fic writing style. There’s an easy cadence to the writing, it’s well-paced, smoothly written, easy to follow, sort of conversational (but in a thought-out way, not stream of conscious), and the dialogue is really natural. Just, quality generic writing/storytelling. And I mean that in a complimentary way.

The intergenerational perspectives that tell this story, and the jumps in time between them, really help maintain the mystery and unfolding drama over the course of the book. I was invested in all three characters’ narrations, even as they were such diverse voices/experiences and I personally identified more with some than others. It was impressive that Khong made all three as authentic as each other, despite how different they were. There were so many major topics and themes that were explored in these pages, from belonging to politics/history to science to morality (and more), all delivered within a framework of super high-intensity family drama, and a plot of intrigue and secrets. I loved that combination; it made for a page-turning reading experience. Perhaps a few holes/things that fell flat, with so much included, but overall very successfully done. And the ending…it was open-ended and not “clean,” but with a path towards reconciliation clear (if still not fully chosen by everyone) and that made, for me, a realistic and satisfying, and quite touching (tbh), conclusion.

As I mentioned, there were a ton of complex questions Khong addresses in these pages. And I want to share a few of my primary takeaways, reactions/reflections, or otherwise just listing the themes that I thought Khong explored well.

- A really interesting take on making a difference/making the world a better place. Can it be done from the “inside,” as it were, or is it better from a grassroots effort? When considering a safer/healthier future, is forced genetic sciences a reasonable option or should we put effort into creating a world in which that doesn’t matter, because the framework (equality) is better? (I know where I lean…the latter.)

- Looking further at equality, Khong demonstrates how easy it is to cleave to money/power, whether born to it or adopted into it (and it is easier) versus the bravery to step away. Which actually allows a person more freedom (in general, like with temporal/financial independence, and as far as choosing a path for themselves)? Where is the perfect line between the two? Fascinating conversation.

- The always heartbreaking reality of how each generation wants the same for the next: freedom, choices … and yet due to our own experiences and the way time changes, how we choose to provide that has its own limitations. So, often, despite all our best efforts/intentions we can never achieve that singular goal.

- Whoa, the morality of genetic therapy (and the enduring strength of genetic ancestry/connection) is explored in a fascinating, engrossing way. A totally unexpected aspect of the novel for me.

- What an emotionally devastating look at how there is never enough time to do/be everything we want. And how yearning for more time so often causes us to lose the present (the time that we do have) even more/faster.

- As a sub-theme, which feels like a surprise because of the title, the question of what - internal and external - makes one believable as a “real” American. This is such a widely felt and explored concept in literature, and this book is a well-done addition to that body.

There was a lot going on in this book, but each piece – plot, settings, characters, themes, writing – were developed fully in their own rights. It kept me totally entertained the entire time, and has a little something for a lot of different kinds of readers. I’d recommend this one for sure.

“But the truth was something else - a reluctance to acknowledge a reality that made me uncomfortable. In the act of giving I conceded that I had more than I needed, and some had far less than they did. It was for no real reason, it wasn't fair. It shattered the illusion of my own free will - that I had made choices, and those choices had resulted in my life. To look away was easier.”

“Once she had believed that connection meant sameness, consensus, harmony. Having everything in common. And now she understood that the opposite was true: that connection was more valuable--more remarkable--for the fact of differences. Friendship didn't require blunting the richness of yourself to find common ground. Sometimes it was that, but it was also appreciating another person, in all their particularity.”

“I'd thought transporting me to another setting was all that was needed to render me normal. I'd failed to consider that I might be the same person here.”

“Without time, ambition is worth nothing: It is only frustration. Time was what I wanted, more than anything.”

“Time passes, indifferent to me. So much of my life I have let slip by, because I have not attended to it. All this while, instead of seeking more time, I could have been paying attention.”

“This was what love had always been for me - denying your own reality in order to protect another person.”

“Hearing a story, what did it accomplish? Nothing. And everything.”

Content Warnings

Passing by Nella Larsen

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emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

“Security. Was it just a word? If not, then was it only by the sacrifice of other things, happiness, love, or some wild ecstasy that she had never known, that it could be obtained? And did too much striving, too much faith in safety and permanence, unfit one for these other things?”

Look, I know this is a classic. So, I'm honestly sort of embarrassed to say I had no idea what it was about (past the obvious, of course, based on the title) until I read The Vanishing Half and there were so many reviews and comments about its nods to Passing that I looked it up. And now, years later, I have finally gotten around to reading it.

Irene Redfield is a Black woman living a comfortable life in 1920s Harlem with her husband and two sons. Her life is thrown out of its balance when she runs into a friend from childhood. Clare Kendry is a light skinned Black woman, passing, and married to a racist white man. Clare's loneliness, after years of cutting herself off from her entire past, in order to hide it from her husband, is brought into stark realization when she sees how at ease Irene is in her life and in her skin. She begins to spend more time with - and insert herself into - Irene and her family/community in Harlem, threatening Irene's stability and leaving her feeling troubled and on edge.

It's always the short books that pack such a big [emotional] punch. I think it's the way they have to be so on point with their language, in order to convey what they want to in such a short time. That was definitely the case in Passing. There is an absolute precision in word choice and details noticed/noted. It's definitely a slightly dated style of writing - to the extent that I would have guessed it was published decades (almost a century?!) ago if I haven't already known - but once you settle into the slightly unfamiliar cadence, you can really start to appreciate it. Because it is meticulous.It's the kind of writing that you slow down reading, in order to really absorb and admire it.

The narrative itself is very internal. We are all up inside Irene's mind as she is thrown into a tailspin of introspection by Clare's insertion into her life. It's fascinating to watch her as she thought she had everything figured out, was comfortable in her life and choices, and then is faced with having to explain to herself why she is good with her choices (and what about Clare's choices makes her edgy and uncomfortable). As her convictions (re)build, it brings us to an ending that oh, was not quite a surprise, but was still very much a shock. (On the writing of it, the abrupt nature of the event and the way it was conveyed/concluded the book was a lovely literary parallel).

There were definitely some things, plot-wise, that happened throughout the novel, to give it some timeline and framework. But they were very much the sort of everyday things that happen in a person's life; nothing dramatic or major until the finale. This was very much a character-centered, inner-development sort of reading experience. As I said, watching Irene (and to some extent, through her words and actions, Clare) work through their own complex thoughts about loyalty, of race, marriage, childhood, culture, friendship, and themselves within that - all through a rather multifaceted lens - was gripping.

Overall, I can see why this is a classic. I'm glad I finally read it. And, having read The Vanishing Half, I see (and highly agree with) the comparisons/parallels and definitely recommend the pair as complementary reads.

Content Warnings

When Crack Was King: A People's History of a Misunderstood Era by Donovan X. Ramsey

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informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Shoutout to @thestackspod for this rec. When they review nonfiction well, I almost always add it to my TBR. Plus, I was personally interested in this one because it hits that "sweet spot"of history for me, the weird space of years right before I was born/when I was too young to be aware of real life, as it were, but recent enough that history classes (which in my experience usually ended with the 1960s: Civil Rights happened and now everything is good now go enjoy summer break!) don't cover it. So, basically, I know very little about it without going to find out more on my own. This is honestly particularly frustrating because being more knowledgeable about this type of recent history and pattern of events is more/most useful to understanding our social-economic-political landscape now, the one we live in, giving it context and helping us know how to address current wrongs to make a better future. Anyhoo, stepping off my soapbox, the point is that I was very excited to read this.

In When Crack Was King Ramsey provides a multi-perspective view of the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s and 1990s. As per the blurb: "Beginning with the myths inspired by Reagan’s war on drugs, journalist Donovan X. Ramsey’s exacting analysis traces the path from the last triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement to the devastating realities we live with a racist criminal justice system, continued mass incarceration and gentrification, and increased police brutality." Ramsey mixes a thoroughly researched overview of the events leading into and surrounding the epidemic, through history and policy and social trends and propaganda/hysteria and economic/legal realities and pop culture.

Interspersed with this are the stories of four people whose lives were intertwined with and irrevocably changed by the epidemic. We hear from a community activist and forming member for the Zoo Crew (an infamous trafficking group out of Newark), someone who was formerly addicted to crack and worked as a sex worker, the child of some addicted who turned their home into a "crack house," and a big city mayor who was one of the first proponents of decriminalization. It was such a diverse set of voices and perspectives, that together painted a nuanced and in-depth portrait of the lived reality of the time. I appreciate, deeply, the bravery and vulnerability in these four in sharing openly about some really personal experiences, in order to help provide the public this level of insight into the epidemic. Reading their parts, in particular, was affecting and compelling. And the book closed with a gorgeous acknowledgement and celebration of the resilience of those most affected, the way they banded together and created community driven and grassroots responses to help themselves, when it was clear that help from larger factions/sources was unlikely to come, or was not enough. Heartbreaking that it was necessary and that they didn't (still haven't) received the support they deserve from public resources (or the society/government that was the source of much of the context that created the epidemic to begin with), but an inspiring and hopeful finish all the same.

Finally, I want to shout out the writing. Ramsey's written voice is fantastic. It was easy to follow and balanced facts/information (which can tend to be dry) with great pacing and flow, along with the personal stories, in a way that was page-turningly fascinating. (He also narrated the audiobook version himself, and did so spectacularly.) His ability to draw connections amongst such a range of aspects surrounding ind intertwined with the crack epidemic - the political to the pop cultural to the international to the economic - was equally discerning and riveting. This was just fantastic narrative nonfiction. I learned so much and highly recommend it.

“An extra price was paid by Americans living in neighborhoods hit hard by the crack epidemic, mostly Black and Latino Americans. They suffered not just the ravages of the crack epidemic but the damage inflicted by the government's war on drugs. They had to navigate both drug-related violence and police harassment. They saw loved ones lose their lives to both addiction and incarceration. All that remained after their communities were ransacked by the epidemic and the war was grief, trauma, and shame.”

"He would have stopped time if he could and lived in that moment forever. It wasn't perfect, but he had everything he ever wanted: a girl, friends, his family, and the means to take care of himself. It was messy, Shawn’s version of the American Dream."

“It’s one thing to be thought of as a bad person. It's another entirely to be thought of as so bad that you're no longer a person.”

“We know that drug epidemics come and go. Like the flu or the common cold, they infect the body politic when our systems are compromised. We are presented with options when these epidemics occur. WE can shore up the weakened systems that allowed the epidemic to take hold. We can rally around vulnerable communities, providing them with resources and support to survive. Or we can turn our backs on those suffering. Worse yet, we can attack them as though they are affliction itself instead of the afflicted.”

Content Warnings

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

I'm on a roll for reading books from authors who have written some of my favorites of years past. I recently read, loved, and reviewed The Palace of Eros. And now this, from the author who wrote The Vanished Birds, which was one of my favorites from 2020. It's been both on my TBR list and my physical shelf for a while now. I actually picked it up and started reading it a year or so ago, but I just couldn't find my footing with it. And since a few other readers whose reviews I trust and usually agree with had said they loved it, and I knew I had loved previous writing from Jimenez, I chose to put it down and wait until I was in a better place for it. Which was absolutely the correct choice, as this second attempt was a much better experience. Unrelated, but I must mention: look at that cover. STUNNING.

In the ancient history of our (present day) MC's ancestral homeland, the people suffered under the rule of the Moon Throne, in particular at the hands of the Three Terrors, the sons of the emperor who held power through the "gifts" they inherited from a god(dess). When said god(dess) escapes the captivity she'd been forced into, she sets out to unmake her children whose rule has turned so despotic and oppressive. She is joined by two unlikely helpers: Jun, whose guilt over his violent past threatens to overcome him, and Keema, a solitary survivor of a remote tribe and lowly in the eyes of the country. Together, they set out on a five-day journey striving to end the Moon Throne and find freedom for the people of the land. The one-liner blurb from Godreads says: "Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family in this new epic fantasy..." and that about sums it right up.

This story was told in a fascinating mix of voices and perspectives: some present day conversational, some in a dream, some through storytelling/performance, and a whole chorus that are maybe alive and maybe dead and maybe real and maybe spirits. It's like an entire narration of combined forms of shared (and sharing) memory telling this story. I have never read anything like it. And I'll be honest, it did take me a hot minute to get into the unique flow. It was so smoothly done - perhaps too smoothly - that I had to pay quite a lot of attention to catch the un-notated (for the most part) and frequent switches in perspective and other narrative voice(s) interjections. In physical format, there were paragraph breaks and italics and font changes that assisted with that visually; in audio format (I used both) the narrator had slight tone/accent changes that helped as well, but took a bit longer for me to catch onto. Basically, just be aware that there is some upfront effort in reading this, before you can sink fully/comfortably into the story. But it is impressive how effortless Jimenez makes pulling off this uncommon and ephemeral style.

This interweaving of folklore and history, the hallmark of classic storytelling, has an understated and subtle, but emotionally affective, parallel and connection to the tale to a present (ish) day boy and his family. It's a slow paced build. And one that is great not for its dramatics and twists, though there are many dramatics (battles, conspiracies, revolutions, secrets, gods and magical powers), rather for the profundity of the build. The breadth and depth of the world-building and character growth are impressive. That restrained, but powerful, style of story development seems to be central to Jimenez's style, as The Vanished Birds has a similar understated style of telling. For all that they're sweeping and epic in scope, the emotions the reader feels are surprising for the intensity of their hit and staying power due to the delivery. And then for the finale, the final 15% ish, Jimenez brings the story to its peak magnificently, with a slight increase in tempo and final pulling together of disparate threads, that gripped me, as the reader, so tightly.

And it was clear how much feeling Jimenez poured into this novel. This is a heartfelt telling, in all the beautiful and ugly aspects. And it is a clear homage to the way that folklore and storytelling can maintain a connection to a land/ancestry even through untold generations. A gorgeous, simply gorgeous, tale of reconnection with the earth that bore us, the stories created and passed down to explain its great natural magic, and all through a mystical dream-based message bearing that fits the vibes perfectly.

I want to, in particular, shout out the relationship between Keema and Jun, our primary MCs. The pull between them is so reminiscent of the deep-seated and pushed-down yearning and slow burn and queerness that is a hallmark (that I love) of Samantha Shannon’s Roots of Chaos series. And their ending... Oh my heart, the tenderness and hope were worth the wait. And it still isn't overdone or cheesy or too easy, a very real contented-style ending.

This novel was engrossing. It built with an inexorable pull that I didn't even notice until it was "too late," as it were. It wasn't a simple read - no easy escapism here - but the transporting experience was worth the extra effort on my part. It's one that I am glad I put on hold, and waited until I was in the right mental-emotional place to read it. If this sounds good to you, like you're in the right place for it yourself, I recommend it completely.

“…for some tales are too large to be told by one voice alone.”

“I have lived a long time [...] And the longer I live, the more it surprises me, and saddens me, how wise the young must become to live in this world.”

“It is all a spiral that feeds into itself with the gathering weight at the center we call Power.”

“You can fault the dancer, but more often than not, it is the dance itself that has to change.”

“You know what it is to be alone. You’ve been too scared to be anything else.”

“Because it makes him feel special. It makes him feel greater than himself. As though he is a part of a larger network of ideals than his own survival.”

“The body holds the body. The arms hold the spear. And the spear cuts through water.”

“To the Sleeping Sea he would go, to join the energies of those who had passed before him, and had become once more synonymous with the world. Perhaps he would return as the eyes of a fish, or the pulsing heart of a creature deep below who wakes only rarely, only when time strikes it appropriate to do so, and it stands and brings with it to the surface a mighty pearl the size of the Moon, which it might throw up into the sky to give the people another holy satellite by which to walk on their way to their loving nighttime trysts beyond the village gates. This he might next become, there the last fireworks of thoughts that erupted from his brain as the Water filled him up - or maybe it would be even simpler than that. Maybe he would move up, instead of down. Maybe he would be drawn up into the sky. Higher than even the mountain from which his family might've come. Wherever the warriors of Daware had once laid their claim. Living inside of a dark cloud above the land, as it swelled and thundered before the burst. Maybe he would be the sound of drums itself. Maybe the rain.”

“But perhaps now you understand that you are not a representative. That like the spear's journey through time, much of this dance is dictated by chance. You are merely, crucially, no one but yourself, as anyone else is themselves - mere stewards, gifting recursively over the divide of time this spear, that memory, to the people and the place from which they had come - and who, in turn, gift back to you your strange, and sad, and wide-eyed futures.”

Content Warnings

Twisted Lies by Ana Huang

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dark emotional fast-paced

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

4.0

This is the one I’ve been waiting for since the beginning (ok well, since getting to the end of the second book and realizing that's what it was setting up for, but still) and it deliveredddddd. Definitely my favorite of the series; last one best one! Like, there was something about this one that hit all the right notes for my preferred dark romance: the truly reprehensible (and normally male) MC who develops an unbending soft spot for their romantic interest. I honestly can't get enough of reading to what lengths they would go to defend and support their person. And in this case, it was extra wonderful because of how much Christian's (frightening levels of) did for Stella's own confidence and self-perception. Maybe it wasn't always the best way to go about it, sure, but the result made my heart happy. Similarly in reverse, while it was just in relation to her, Christian's realization of his own remaining humanity, seeing himself through Stella's (optimistic, but not stupid - in her own words) eyes, is the kind of character "growth" I love in a situation like this. And of course, the levels of drama not seen in typical human life (high stakes security stuff, obscene amounts of money, stalkers and kidnappings, etc.) were as unbelievable and entertaining as always. Side shout out to Stella's lower libido and ace spectrum vibes (demi-ish) that were really mentioned openly and often on page - I don't see that a lot (ever?) in these kinds of mainstream spicy romance series, and I really appreciated it. It made me like what was already my fav of the four even more...though when the spicy scenes came, they also matched up with what Huang has provided this whole series (thumbs way way up for that). I knew I wanted this one and it hit the spot. I don’t even care how long (and perhaps sometimes repetitive) it was because I really did want to spend that much time with Stella and Christian.

“We always expected our external world to reflect our internal one, but it was situations like these that reminded me the world would go on no matter what happened to us individually. It was equal parts reassuring and depressing.”

“That was the thing about humans. We were hard-wired for survival, and we took every opportunity to convince ourselves that our problems weren't as bad as we thought they were. Hope and denial. Two sides of the same coin. They kept us from falling into a well of despair even in the darkest of times.”

“But he makes me feel like I can be anyone I want to be. Better yet, he makes me feel like I can be who I am.”

“But our lives were our own. There would always be people who were better and worse off than us. That didn't make our feelings any less valid. We could acknowledge how good we had it in some respects while criticizing other parts.”

Content Warnings

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

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adventurous lighthearted fast-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

4.0

With a title like this, I was hoping for fun and entertainment, with low expectations for substance. And honestly, I got exactly what I wanted (and needed) from it!

Well, the title really sets up the story well. Cinnamon lives in a small town, working on her family's spice farm, and one night after drinking with a friend, ends up accidentally saving a demon's life. Said demon, Fallon, is (inconveniently) quite attractive and, against Cin's wishes for a quiet life, convinces her to come along on a quest to bring down the evil witch who has been passing herself off as a goddess, and enslaving demons, for generations. It turns into quite the adventure, not least because Fallon seems to have decided that he and Cin are meant to be together (as much more than just travel partners).

Yup, this was so fun. It was such a fast read. And that was partially because it was an easy story, one that I wanted to fly through quickly, and partially because (if I'm being honest) the writing was pretty basic. There were some points where sentences were a bit repetitive (as far as word choice), some points where transitions between scenes/sentences were a bit choppy, some points where the development and writing itself felt a bit juvenile. However, the dialogue (interpersonal and inner) was one of the best pieces of the writing, and that's a make or break for me (I can put up with a lot if the dialogue seems natural), so I made it through without too much complaint/exasperation.

I do love a “normal” heroine and Cin is really giving that, but with sarcasm and super millennial responses to stuff (like immediately trying to shoot a fireball with her hands after learning she might have…absorbed…magic that might let her do that), so that’s peak character vibes for me, a snarky millennial myself. And overall, she had some really happy-go-lucky vibes for the amount of violence and death she was around/involved in and I found myself pretty into that combo. It felt like reading a "cozy" fantasy, but with the violence of regular fantasy...the light delivery tempered it and kept the fun high. The tension and romantic build between Cin and Fallon was pretty fast (not surprising for a romantasy), but about as well developed as it could have been, under the "easy" reading quality of the novel. And the spicy scenes we got were quite good.

So basically, juvenile-ish writing aside, Cin was relatable and Fallon was an excellent romantasy crush, the plot and world-building were simple but adventure-filled, and in the end, I just enjoyed the hell out of reading this. Spectacular escapism.

“Don’t you just want to go feral?”

“Her logic was simple and just made changing one's entire worldview seem like a mundane occurrence. Maybe it should be. As much as I'd rather stay out of conflict and live out my life in peace, I don't think I could walk away from someone suffering right in front of me.”

“Why is the bed covered in cheese? / You don't remember? [...] Last night, you demanded we bring you cheese and then state that you were the cheese queen.” (well this is just too real, LOL)

Content Warnings

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just_one_more_paige's reviews 1527 reviews

just_one_more_paige's reviews
1527 reviews