kait_sixcrowsbooks's reviews
224 reviews

[...]: Poems by Fady Joudah

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dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

5.0

CAWPILE score: N/A

A wonderful book of poetry that I want to read again and again.
Shadows of Pecan Hollow by Caroline Frost

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

4.0

CAWPILE score: 8.0

A really intriguing read about a girl turned woman who’s trying to escape from the ghost of her past, but she’s unable to until she finally comes to terms with it. I really enjoyed seeing Kit’s story play out and how Charlie’s does/doesn’t mirror it. The climax seemed pretty abrupt to me, but thinking back on it, I think it fits. I might take a look to see if this author has anything else I can read because this was a pretty fun time for me!
Sounds Fake But Okay: An Asexual and Aromantic Perspective on Love, Relationships, Sex, and Pretty Much Anything Else by Sarah Costello, Kayla Kaszyca

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informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

CAWPILE score: 5.29

For being a book that’s supposed to be about both asexuality and aromanticism, it felt like it was more so focused on the former than the latter. I also didn’t realize until I began reading that this book was written by two podcasters — which, don’t get me wrong, isn’t inherently bad, but the writing itself made more sense with that in mind. I get like I wanted more from it, but I’m not sure what; the book just felt very disjointed.
Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer

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adventurous challenging informative mysterious tense slow-paced

4.0

CAWPILE score: 7.86

A really interesting book about the Mormon religion — its origins and how broader fundamentalist religious  thought contributed to the murder of a woman and her daughter.
Man o' War by Cory McCarthy

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dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective slow-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

CAWPILE score: 9.43

What an amazing book about identity and finding one’s self. I truly identified with River’s gender exploration, and I also loved seeing how they explored other sides of their identity as well. 10/10, wish to read again.
Black Tide by K.C. Jones

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

CAWPILE score: 3.71

If I have to stay in those two characters’ heads for one more second, my head might explode. The only thing that saved this for me was the atmosphere — the monsters were neat, and I thought the singular setting for most of the novel was an interesting choice. But the characters are obnoxious, the plot has holes in it the size of a dumpster, and the dialogue was mediocre. 
Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge

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

3.0

CAWPILE score: 5.43

An interesting historical fiction novel spanning pre- and post-Civil War, about a dark-skinned Black girl finding her own way and freedom throughout her life. I thought the first half was a helluva lot better than the second half.
The Unmothers by Leslie J. Anderson

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

3.0

CAWPILE score: 5.14

While I thought the premise was interesting, I found the writing to be dry, repetitive, and almost juvenile. I thought the characters were flat, their motivations weak, and the plot trailed along at a snail’s pace. Despite that, the last 50 pages were a quick run-through — why couldn’t the whole book be like that?

Overall, a let-down, though I would still give this author another chance.
Children of the Land by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo

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adventurous emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

CAWPILE score: 8.71

A lovely memoir that dives into so many things: generational trauma, ICE and Homeland Security, the dehumanization of immigrants, particularly undocumented immigrants of color, mental health, and more. I loved the prose that the author used, his writing is absolutely gorgeous — it’s obvious he’s a poet.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

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dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

CAWPILE score: 7.71

An interesting little story with a fun narrative structure. I was captivated to keep reading.