kingofthehillxl's reviews
131 reviews

Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates by Katie Barnes

informative medium-paced

5.0

Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates by Katie Barnes is one of the best books I’ve read all year. Incredibly readable and accessible, enlightening accounts of the history of gender in sports, special attention to the people under the policies. Katie Barnes is a non-binary ESPN writer!?! So it also introduces a wonderful voice to look to in sports journalism! I could go on and on. Must read for everyone, but especially anyone who has any interest in this topic and is looking for a really well explained breakdown. I have often felt like the people most harmed by these policies are somehow always absent from these discussions. Barnes does a beautiful job of giving these people a voice in this book. I would even go as far to say this feels like essential reading for any discussion in the “gender question” when it pertains to sports. I can’t say enough how impressed I was with not just the quality of the work but the depth and accessibility that this book provides. This was incredibly easy to read, and I feel like it can only lead to more worthwhile discussions of the topic. 

I feel like this is without a doubt in my top 5 non-fiction of the year. I’ll never run out of good things to say, but you should definitely find a way to read this book! Request it from your library as well, even if you buy it personally, that’s how important I think this is. Especially when our fight feels so dire right now. I honestly think anyone could read this and take anyway something worthwhile.

Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston

adventurous hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

 OMG I need the next book yesterday?? This story told here was really fun. I think the mystery was super great to follow, even if an adult could probably figure it out pretty fast. The how ended up being very interesting and the B plot escalation was done great! I was really shocked by the way it ended. 

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

adventurous dark tense 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

 Really great allegory! I wasn't super satisfied at the end, but the ride was amazing. The concept was great, the characters were interesting, and the dynamics were realistic. Some of the science went over my head a bit, but I think I could benefit from a reread. 

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

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? Yes

5.0

 This was quite the wild ride! I was not expecting the story that was given. Toni is so far proving that she definitely has a way of making every character deeply layered. you'll find yourself praying on the triumph and downfall of several characters. There is definitely a certain way that Toni develops a story where she can have a huge cast of characters, and you'll find that every character has a place. None of the characters are archetypal, and they breathe with a certain realness that is unforgettable. So much time is covered here and when you look back it seems crazy that she was able to pull this off. I guess I should be surprised since this is an award winning novel, and a Nobel prize winning author. 

Blink by Christopher Sebela

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

 Art was amazing! The story was kinda hard to follow at times. If this continues, I will read it. I do think if it was twice as long there could have been more time for the story to breathe. We are dropped into the story a little too close to the ending. There’s just a lot going on, and there are no breaks for the reader to catch up. I don’t mean to say there aren’t interesting things going on, but it starts off one way, quickly goes off the rails and then it’s over. I think the fights could have lasted longer, and that would have helped stretch out the story.

I gave the story this rating because the art was fantastic. The composition was captivating. The graphic novel does a lot of really interesting things with point of view and perspective. The world building is intriguing, if at times confusing. I think the story leaves a little to be desired, but they may change upon reflection. It’s packs a lot into a small dose. 

Delicatus: From Slave Boy to Empress in Imperial Rome by S.P. Somtow

adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

Thorns of Chaos by Jeremiah Cain

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

A fun and adventurous fantasy that explores religious zealotry.

Blood Money: The Story of Life, Death, and Profit Inside America's Blood Industry by Kathleen McLaughlin

informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Blood money is a very informative and heralding reflection on the class system them props up the for profit plasma industry. McLaughlin does inspirational and shocking journalism that asks tough questions about what we are willing to trade for medicine. How much is the health of our society worth, and who’s making that money?

Fat Off, Fat On: A Big Bitch Manifesto by Clarkisha Kent

challenging emotional funny reflective medium-paced

5.0

Will be one of the best memoirs of the year! WATCH THIS SPACE!!
Clarkisha truly gives us a gift with this tour de force of representation! In the best way she revives the original meaning of identity politics to bring us into her world a fat black feminist. I will hold this in my heart forever, and I can’t recommend it enough to anyone! There are many intense themes discussed though, so I would be careful in that sense!

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

5.0

This was amazing. It’s one of the best romance books I’ve ever read. It just makes you feel good, and is well written. It’s almost like watching one of the really amazing romcoms that stick with you, and you watch over and over again. It feels like you get the breadth of an entire friendship because you do in a smart and clever way that never feels gimmicky. The best part though is it makes you UNDERSTAND. In the most contemporary way it captures an existential feeling that is so relatable it’s scary.