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kghunter's reviews
20 reviews
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I legitimately cried and threw this book at my wall like a lunatic during the stories climax near the end. Which is unhinged feral street cat behavior, I know. I’ve never done that before with any book ever; what this book made me feel is worlds away from my normal range of emotions (thank god). And I think that is the best selling point I can offer as to why everyone should read this book at least once in their life. That’s all I have to say because this story and the way it’s told is so good that there’s nothing else I can say that would do justice in conveying this novel’s greatness.
Also completely unrelated side note but I heard in a podcast once that Ursula K Le Guin’s father was one of the leading anthropologists that made a dehumanized spectacle of the native man Ishi that had his brain preserved as an artifact against his will after his passing. Not sure what all of the story or facts are behind the nonconsensual theft and objectification of Ishi’s remains in terms of Le Guin’s fathers involvement (I just vaguely remember a brief mention of this on a podcast I was listening to years ago) but her fathers career as an anthropologist during the early 20th century and involvement in the institutionalized observation of living indigenous peoples as some type of primitive anthropological artifact is an interesting lens to view Le Guin’s work through.
Also completely unrelated side note but I heard in a podcast once that Ursula K Le Guin’s father was one of the leading anthropologists that made a dehumanized spectacle of the native man Ishi that had his brain preserved as an artifact against his will after his passing. Not sure what all of the story or facts are behind the nonconsensual theft and objectification of Ishi’s remains in terms of Le Guin’s fathers involvement (I just vaguely remember a brief mention of this on a podcast I was listening to years ago) but her fathers career as an anthropologist during the early 20th century and involvement in the institutionalized observation of living indigenous peoples as some type of primitive anthropological artifact is an interesting lens to view Le Guin’s work through.
Making Love with the Land by Joshua Whitehead
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
I started to listen to this on audiobook but it was kind of hard for me to keep up with this style of writing while passively listening because when I read a book by listening to the audiobook it is something i listen to while i do other things. I decided to go ahead and return it to the library because I’d rather take the time to read the physical book instead the future instead so I can really be fully immersed in the story because from what I did listen to it was absolutely beautiful and something that deserves my undivided attention.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer by Maya Angelou
“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived. And if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
I truly cannot think of a more talented author/poet than Maya Angelou. This collection of poems is on par with the rest of her work, which is to say—unbelievably beautiful and inspiring—the kind of art that makes you appreciate and honor what it means to be human. To be here on this earth with one another. To yield to the unification with all that came before us, walks alongside us, and follows in our footsteps; inextricably linked in the search for peace.
The lyricism of Angelou’s work is both bold and deliberate, both gentle and alive. Regardless of the conceptual and/or theoretical depths of any which poem, she maintains a steady hold on the childlike wonder and jubilation that marks all of her work with identifying strokes.
Some of my favorite quotes from this collection include:
The lyricism of Angelou’s work is both bold and deliberate, both gentle and alive. Regardless of the conceptual and/or theoretical depths of any which poem, she maintains a steady hold on the childlike wonder and jubilation that marks all of her work with identifying strokes.
Some of my favorite quotes from this collection include:
“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived. And if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”
“I am not metaphor, I’m not symbol. I’m not a nightmare to vanish with the dawn. I am lasting as hunger, and certain as midnight.”
“In your absence I rehearse you.”
“You must know the difference between seeking after justice, and lusting for revenge.”
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City) by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Sarah J Maas needs serious therapy, and I pray to God she never receives it. I’m like 95% sure I got pregnant from the scene in which the protagonist gets fingered.
All jokes aside whilst I did enjoy the fantasy/world-building and smutty indulgence of this book, I stg I’m gonna start vomiting blood if I read another heterosexual fantasy romance novel in which the man ends up being like hundreds of years old and the girl is 16-mid twenties. I am literally on my hands and knees begging these authors to consider the impact they’re having on young women’s psyche because if I have to see another one of my young, intelligent, beautiful, compassionate friends, who are in the literally trenches fighting for their sanity against men our age who are mostly non-comital nightmares in ugly shoes and ill-fitting clothes with brains that have been shrunken via vape steam to the point that they can only regurgitate instagram and reddit comment discourse, being convinced by grown-ass fantasy novelists in the midst of their exhaustion that there is something even vaguely romantic or reprieving about the 40something year old sewage rat man-boys they’re ending up settling for. I need a BREAK and Mrs.Maas sadly ain’t givin’ it to us.
I did also break and buy the next 2 books, I will admit.
All jokes aside whilst I did enjoy the fantasy/world-building and smutty indulgence of this book, I stg I’m gonna start vomiting blood if I read another heterosexual fantasy romance novel in which the man ends up being like hundreds of years old and the girl is 16-mid twenties. I am literally on my hands and knees begging these authors to consider the impact they’re having on young women’s psyche because if I have to see another one of my young, intelligent, beautiful, compassionate friends, who are in the literally trenches fighting for their sanity against men our age who are mostly non-comital nightmares in ugly shoes and ill-fitting clothes with brains that have been shrunken via vape steam to the point that they can only regurgitate instagram and reddit comment discourse, being convinced by grown-ass fantasy novelists in the midst of their exhaustion that there is something even vaguely romantic or reprieving about the 40something year old sewage rat man-boys they’re ending up settling for. I need a BREAK and Mrs.Maas sadly ain’t givin’ it to us.
I did also break and buy the next 2 books, I will admit.
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
If you were to remove all of the sentences in this book that described one of the characters blushing, it would probably be about half its current length. I don’t know if this is just a more common experience of fair skinned people or what but I think a group-read of this in which everyone took a shot every time someone blushes would be a pretty fun way to get absolutely shittered with your friends if they also happen to be into horny fantasy mystery novels that involve a lot of quivering and clenched fists.
Blushing and quivering aside this was a truly enjoyable read. Reid is brilliant at capturing the “dark academia” imagery and I loved how she used such a beautifully painted, fantastical storyline to examine themes of misogyny, victim-shaming, childhood trauma, and isolation, as well as gender-based violence, bigotry, and oppression. As a reader who originally chose to read this book to scratch my annually occurring wintertime dark academia itch, its depth and sincerity came as a pleasant surprise.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
“[…]the truth was very costly at times. How terrible, to navigate the world without a story to comfort you.”
If you were to remove all of the sentences in this book that described one of the characters blushing, it would probably be about half its current length. I don’t know if this is just a more common experience of fair skinned people or what but I think a group-read of this in which everyone took a shot every time someone blushes would be a pretty fun way to get absolutely shittered with your friends if they also happen to be into horny fantasy mystery novels that involve a lot of quivering and clenched fists.
Blushing and quivering aside this was a truly enjoyable read. Reid is brilliant at capturing the “dark academia” imagery and I loved how she used such a beautifully painted, fantastical storyline to examine themes of misogyny, victim-shaming, childhood trauma, and isolation, as well as gender-based violence, bigotry, and oppression. As a reader who originally chose to read this book to scratch my annually occurring wintertime dark academia itch, its depth and sincerity came as a pleasant surprise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Fun quick read, fairly predictable and quite short but enjoyable nonetheless.
I will admit I was a bit let down as I had high hopes upon reading the summary on the back of the book at the library. It’s a great idea for a story and the author shows promise as it’s only her first published book I believe, but her writing as displayed here leave much to be desired to say the least.
I will admit I was a bit let down as I had high hopes upon reading the summary on the back of the book at the library. It’s a great idea for a story and the author shows promise as it’s only her first published book I believe, but her writing as displayed here leave much to be desired to say the least.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder