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kvclements's reviews
1428 reviews
Artificial Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver
3.25
Really interesting world building in a near-future that seems all too real with a convergence of climate change social media, political ambitions, and journalistic integrity. It has a good mystery running throughout (although the characters felt a little... dry, I guess?) and the ending is a little too ambiguous for my liking. Still an interesting read overall!
Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy
4.5
A very well-written story containing the supernatural elements of ghosts, reincarnation, and Furies... which are not nearly as terrifying as the real elements of misogyny, bullying, ageism, neglect, casual cruelty, cult behavior, religious fervor, physical & emotional abuse, loneliness, and depths of depravity humans can sink to.
Mary is a victim who takes back her voice and her power in a bid to reclaim what society, family, and even "fate" stole from her.
Mary is a victim who takes back her voice and her power in a bid to reclaim what society, family, and even "fate" stole from her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This is a delightful, hopeful read of very different, broken people coming together to make something new. Jake is an 18-year-old who's life has fallen apart after an accident left him wheelchair-bound. Alice is a widowed beekeeper struggling with panic attacks after her husband's death and taken advantage of by her co-workers at the county development department. Harry is a 24-year-old whose anxiety (and possible autism) has left him homeless with a criminal record. Yet they come together working with Alice's bees and find themselves healing and becoming better, findings their place with their community, their jobs, and within themselves. It's a lovely work featuring found family, how communities can come together and make a positive difference, and, of course, bees! (Fortunately, although there is a lot of really cool info about bees and beekeeping, it is placed throughout and adds rather than detracts from the narrative.)
Definitely recommend (and this is coming from someone who normally doesn't care for contemporary fiction!)
Definitely recommend (and this is coming from someone who normally doesn't care for contemporary fiction!)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Animal cruelty
The Girls Who Fought Crime: The Untold True Story of the Country's First Female Investigator and Her Crime Fighting Squad by Mari Eder
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.0
A good overview of the beginnings of women in the NYPD, focusing on Irish woman Mae Foley, the first trained policewoman to become a detective. It's a good, quick read, albeit a little light on details. There were things about Mae's life I would have liked more detail on, but more than that I would have liked more details on what a day in the life of a policewoman in the Roaring Twenties was like. We get some, but not a lot. Part of this leanness of detail may be because most of the department records were DUMPED IN THE RIVER when headquarters moved, so a wealth of history on those women is lost. Still, very much worth reading!
This World Is Not Yours by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I love the concept of this story and would love to see more of the universe it's in. The premise is sci-fi horror, but the execution is more queer relationship drama and the ending felt rushed. The characters were interesting and mostly tealistic, but I couldn't find myself rooting for them or really liking them much the further on the story went. Definitely worth reading once, but be prepared to feel kind of unsatisfied, like you got a decent appetizer but can only look at the entree.