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kaistephan's reviews
65 reviews
Uncommon Charm by Emily Bergslien, Kat Weaver
mysterious
5.0
A surprisingly complex and layered story in a bit-sized package. Jules is not the most reliable narrator, but is observant enough for the reader to see what is going on around the edges; she has a youthful naivete and pretension that is charming rather than irritating, brimming with energy and humor. The magic is beautifully done, spectacular and subtle in turns, with a unique logic that still retains plenty of room for mystery.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault
How Far the Light Reaches: A Life in Ten Sea Creatures by Sabrina Imbler
emotional
5.0
I never thought that essays could be poetry but this book has fundamentally changed the way I think about writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Sexual assault, War
How to Heal a Gryphon by Meg Cannistra
adventurous
lighthearted
4.0
A fun adventure with a vivid setting and a heroine with a strong personality. The magic is unique and vibrant, less systematic and more intuitive, like a fairy tale.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Animal cruelty
Riley Reynolds Crushes Costume Day by Jay Albee
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
2.5
As a nonbinary person, I am always excited to see nonbinary rep in kids books, but this one felt like the authors were so determined for Riley's gender to not be the focus of the story that they ended up with no focus of the story. There are over ten different named characters in a 64 page book. There is an entire chapter of just name-dropping other queer-friendly kids books. There's no narrative arc or emotional payoff - Riley thinks of a costume, Riley makes a costume, Riley and their friends show off the costumes. It might be a good escape for a queer kid who wants representation without the angst, but it plays it so safe it's closer to boring than uplifting.
Exile by Shannon Messenger
adventurous
mysterious
2.0
It's a fun, fast-paced, plotty adventure but the author has not examined a single unconscious bias in her life.
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
I read this as a child, didn't really get it, came back to it in my thirties and it looks completely different. There are so many different threads of narrative and motif and everything is connected to everything else in such intricate ways that it barely makes sense because everything makes too much sense and you're trying to comprehend it all. An absolutely genius piece of literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Stalking, Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer
Interim Errantry: Three Tales of The Young Wizards by Diane Duane
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
5.0
Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall
emotional
funny
5.0
Alexis Hall once again delivers a story that is seamlessly laugh-until-you-can't-breathe funny, a sharp critique of the British class system, a visceral portrait of living in a brain with mental illness, and a very sincere romance that, even though it is single POV, still have very balanced character arcs. Heck, even the Best Friend manages to feel like a real person and not just a plot device, a true rarity for romance novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia, Islamophobia