kaileehaong's reviews
423 reviews

Chlorine by Jade Song

dark emotional mysterious fast-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? Yes

4.0

This was an exhilarating, fast-paced novel that I really couldn’t put down. We follow Ren into her descent into madness? Mermaid-hood? Up for your interpretation, I suppose. Characters are well written, albeit occasionally unlikeable. Will certainly be reading anything else Jade Song puts out.

The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

emotional hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Welcome Me to the Kingdom by Mai Nardone

medium-paced

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

3.75

A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt

emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

Excellent poetic essays on the queer Native experience. I found myself quickly flipping from essay to essay to read the next. Authentic, real, raw writing from Belcourt. Highly recommend!

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Not a typical genre that I would read, but interesting nonetheless. Solomon does a great job building a world that you can envision when closing your eyes. I had a few qualms with how quickly and neatly things wrapped up at the end, considering the pace the beginning felt a bit slower. Ultimately it was an entertaining read with well-described and vibrant characters that kept you wanting more.

Your Love Is Not Good by Johanna Hedva

challenging dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was a challenging book for me to read! Very artistic in it's form and style, and for that reason it was hard for me to follow along (an outsider of an otherwise very artsy world). The characters proved very unlikeable, but I have to commend the arc in which the protagonist ends on a more positive note (after becoming extremely dislikable over the course of the novel). Relationships are fraught and complex, but felt real and were well-described. 

Dykette by Jenny Fran Davis

medium-paced

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

2.5

Deeply strange novel. The characters I found to be well written, albeit extremely dislikable. The entirety of the novel occurs over the span of a few days, so many moments felt drawn out, long, and never-ending. The “performance art” piece that occurs in the novel is shockingly vile and seems to come out of nowhere. While I can appreciate the representation and queer aesthetics, the vast majority of this book was too much for me.

When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? Yes

4.0

Anytime a poet writes a novel, I'm gonna be there to read it. There's something so special about poets turning to fiction and still managing to weave their poetic-ness into that piece of fiction. This was a very special story of three sisters who have experience great trauma and loss, and how they each unravel, find themselves, and learn to deal with it.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

adventurous challenging 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? Yes

4.0

This was an excellent book following Sadie, Sam,  Co. across many many years (from meeting as young kids playing Mario to designing numerous video games together). It's emotional, funny, challenging--everything you could ask for in a long novel. Character development is precise and intricate. I was totally along for the ride, even as someone who wouldn't consider themselves a big video game aficionado. Wonderful novel!

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective 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? Yes

5.0

A fantastic, futuristic novel. Felt like short stories in a way that made it very digestible and exciting to flit from chapter to chapter, but then you’d be reminded of a character you’ve met before by some small, sly detail or mention, tying it together and creating a beautiful and cohesive storyline. Lovers of EEAAO would enjoy this novel.