laurareads87's reviews
591 reviews

Resisting Eviction: Domicide and the Financialization of Rental Housing by Andrew Crosby

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informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

This book is well researched, thorough, and well organized with a clear trajectory from theoretical framing to methods to findings. As someone who works in an area related to tenants' rights in Ontario, some of the content was familiar to me but I still learned quite a bit and have come away with some new ideas that I think will be really helpful to eviction prevention work. I would have liked if the book included a bit more on the organizing dynamics of the Herongate Tenants' Coalition (ex. decision-making processes). I appreciated the level of detail in the assessments of different tactics and their effectiveness (like the usefulness of FOIs, different approaches to legal challenges, etc). 
The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo

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sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.5

 I love this series but I am so disappointed. 

For me, this novella feels out of place in the Singing Hills cycle. It touches on some themes that have woven throughout the series – memory, especially – but not in ways that felt new, interesting, or on the level of depth of the other novellas (all of which I’ve rated 4 or 5 stars). Past instalments have had intense political manoeuvring and thoughtful feminist themes and I found none of that here. The pacing also felt off – a few too many things squished into novella length, perhaps – and the abrupt near-complete shift in tone in the middle of the book really didn’t work for me. 

What did work for me? I love Cleric Chih as a character based on the rest of the series so inevitably I enjoyed reconnecting with them in this newest novella. They are decidedly out of character here, though the reasons for that do become clear and make sense toward the end. 

This works as a standalone, but if you’ve been at all curious about this cycle I would not suggest starting here. I can acknowledge that a lot of my disappointment with this book is rooted in having so loved the prior ones, but ultimately I do think that even if this was a total standalone and I had no prior familiarity with the world/characters, this still wouldn't have worked for me. 

Content warnings: murder, violence, death, gore, blood, cannibalism (of sorts), forcible confinement, sexism/misogyny 
The Tale That Twines by Cedar McCloud

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

The Tale that Twines follows June, an apprentice to an Illuminator who creates eternal books in a magical, fantastical library. I enjoyed the author’s previous book in this series so was happy to pick up this one. The Tale that Twines features an autistic ADHD demiromantic narrator, diverse queer representation, and really thoughtful engagement with themes around trauma; I am appreciative to the author for their ability to create books that feel cozy and supportive that also address serious themes, and I feel like they’ve grown as an author between the first book in the series and this one. The setting, Caspora City, and the broader dynamics between countries is more developed here than in the prior book, and I think the characters read more consistently in terms of their ages (in my review of the prior novel in the series, I’d noted the characters felt quite a bit younger than described; here they don’t so much). The writing does feel overly didactic in some places, but overall I liked this a lot + recommend it for those looking for queer cozy heartwarming fantasy with magic and lots and lots of books. 

The Tale that Twines is a prequel set forty years prior to The Thread that Binds and linked to an oracle deck created by the author, The Threadbound Oracle (the deck itself figures into The Thread but not this novel). This one could be read before or after the other, or as a standalone. Having the deck, or having any familiarity with oracle decks in general, is not needed to enjoy these novels. The author provides a pronunciation key, a note on pronouns (especially e/em/eirs), and content notes. 

Content warnings: the author provides a detailed list at the outset of the book. Content includes grief, death of a parent, survival of a natural disaster, trauma / symptoms of post-traumatic stress injury including panic attacks, religious bigotry, mention of past sexual abuse (not graphic in any way), medical content (mention of cancer), toxic relationship, gaslighting 
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The Book of Elsewhere by China Miéville, Keanu Reeves

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.5

 3.5, rounding up. This is one of my most anticipated releases of 2024, and seeing + reading the interviews with Reeves & Miéville together has only added to my excitement (their dynamic is great – do check out an interview if you’re a fan of either of them, whether you plan to read this or not). 

The Book of Elsewhere follows Unute, also known as B., an 80,000 year old man who cannot die (or, perhaps, who can die repeatedly while returning with memories perfectly intact). Throughout his existence, he has been subject to curiosity that has manifested in cults, underground societies, and, of course, experimentation to attempt to replicate his longevity. The main timeline of this novel is contemporary and focused on a special unit dedicated to researching Unute with the goal of creating super-resilient soldiers (of course), while some chapters jump back to different points in Unute’s life. 

I feel like it’s important to note that I read this having read almost all of the fiction China Miéville has published, but with very very little familiarity with Reeves’ comic series which introduces this book’s main character. I can see how a negative review seems to be the result for some readers coming from the opposite direction: Miéville definitely has his own style, and not having any familiarity with that I think would really skew expectations on what this book would be like. A lot of the things that reviews are mentioning as ‘negatives’ – big vocabulary, somewhat experimental style/format, a non-linear structure – are to be expected with Miéville’s work. For me, these are strengths. I would not say that this book is Miéville’s best by any stretch – and some of his other novels are favourites for me – but I do think that fans of his work will enjoy it. Just don’t expect for everything to be clear and comprehensible from page one. 

Content warnings: violence, gun violence, blood, gore, body horror, death, murder, torture, confinement, animal death, animal cruelty (experimentation), war, suicide / suicide attempt (very graphic and on-page) 

Thank you to the authors and to Penguin Random House Canada for an e-ARC in exchange for a review. Note: for formatting reasons, I ended up buying a hardcover to read instead, so my review is based on the final published version. 
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Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

I have enjoyed a lot about the Between Earth and Sky trilogy: a diverse range of POVs, fascinating Central America-inspired world-building, and a lot of action. I was happy with the range of characters featured as POVs in this particular novel, and there was so much intrigue and betrayal and alliance-shifting that I was hooked from the first page. 

Note that the second and third installments of this series do not work as stand-alones – each picks up right where the previous one left off with no reminders as to what’s going on. 

This is not my favourite installment in this series. Others have critiqued the pacing in this one for involving too much build-up and not enough climactic action; I don’t feel that way necessarily, though some parts did feel a bit ‘side quest’ to me. I’m just not thrilled with how the trilogy concludes; in some ways, I’d be happier if I knew there was a 4th book coming. 

Overall, though, definitely enjoyed this trilogy and will read more from Rebecca Roanhorse. I’d love it if she published a collection of shorter works set in this world. 

Content warnings: war, violence, injury detail, blood, gore, torture, murder, grief 

Thank you S&S/Saga Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to review. 
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Literary Afrofuturism in the Twenty-First Century by

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informative inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A

4.0

A solid collection of essays on Afrofuturism that, for the most part, I would say could be enjoyed by readers with varying degrees of prior familiarity with both literary theory and Afrofuturism. I particularly appreciated the framing of this collection - the introduction and conclusion as well as opening with an Author Roundable discussing Afrofuturism itself (as a concept, as a framework, as a genre, what it includes and doesn't, and the varying degrees to which authors would describe their own work as Afrofuturist). In their conclusion the authors write that with this collection, they "wanted to make conscious the utility of Afrofuturism as a critical term in the battle to stake claims for people of color - and people of all colors - in the future imaginary" [231]. This wide ranging collection, covering a variety of both older and very contemporary works, is one I'd recommend.
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

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adventurous challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 Rereading Parable of the Sower in July 2024 – the month/year that the book’s timeline begins – is an unsettling experience. If this vision of a dystopian future felt disturbingly possible in the 1990s when it was written, now it feels scarily close. In the world of Parable, in the midst of a slow collapse of societal organization that isn’t fully explained but which most certainly involves the impacts of climate change, corporations, racism, and misogyny persist but most infrastructure and services are wholly out of reach of most people. Butler’s work demands that we engage with so many pressing, urgent realities and Lauren Olamina’s Earthseed asks us to envision other ways of being and living, futures of freedom and mutual aid guided by a God we create and shape. I am ever grateful to Octavia Butler for these works. 

Content warnings: rape, sexual assault, violence, murder, death, death of a parent, death of a child, child abuse, grief, gun violence, animal death, cannibalism, torture, addiction, racism, sexism, misogyny, slavery, human trafficking, fire / fire injury, injury detail. This book is not easy to read. 
Thyme Travellers: An Anthology of Palestinian Speculative Fiction by Sonia Sulaiman

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 I am thrilled to review Thyme Travellers, an excellent collection edited by Sonia Sulaiman. This collection of short speculative fiction by Palestinian diasporic authors accomplishes so, so much in a relatively short page count. There are a wide array of speculative motifs here – AI, alien species, space travel, and time travel to name a few – and there is a range in terms of story length, mood/tone, and themes. I appreciate the inclusion queer representation in several stories. 

Inevitably with a collection one will find certain stories stand out, but it is very difficult to choose a few favourites given how consistently strong this one is. Several stories have really stuck with me after having finished them; I suspect this is a book I’ll revisit to re-read some stories again. 

I had only read a few of these authors before: Emad El-din Aysha (whose work also appeared in Palestine +100), Nadia Afifi (whose novel The Sentient I enjoyed), and Sonia Sulaiman (whose short fiction I’ve read, and whom I’m happy to call a friend). I am looking forward to reading more from the authors featured here & absolutely recommend this collection wholeheartedly. 

Content warnings: violence, war, murder, death, death of a parent, suicide, police brutality, classism, racism, colonization, bullying 

Thank you to Roseway Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. 



 


She Who Knows by Nnedi Okorafor

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

She Who Knows follows Najeeba, a young girl who feels the call to go out on the salt roads to find and sell salt with her brothers and father – an adventure reserved for boys and men. With mixed reactions, she embarks on a journey that will change her, her family, and her community. 

I really enjoyed this. I suspect with the youthful protagonist that it might even have some YA crossover appeal, though it definitely reads adult to me. I’ve read quite a bit of Okorafor’s work, and there is much here that one would expect on this basis – a well-developed world, beautiful prose, and a protagonist to feel invested in. Okorafor’s Africanfuturism shines in this novella. 

I read She Who Knows without having read Who Fears Death or any other book previously written in the same universe, and it worked perfectly well as a standalone. I had, when it released, opted not to read Who Fears Death for ‘content warnings’ related reasons, but having appreciated this novella so much I do think I’ll plan to read that one too. 

Content warnings: sexual harassment, sexism, misogyny, racism, xenophobia, death 

Thank you DAW & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to review. 
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Kalpa Imperial: The Greatest Empire That Never Was by Angélica Gorodischer

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medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

I just couldn't stay focused on <i>Kalpa Imperial</i> despite my best attempts. I picked up this book having noticed that LeGuin translated it. I can see why, based on her own work, why she'd have been drawn to it; however, I just wasn't captivated. The writing style is compelling and the structuring of the stories as being told orally is interesting, but after a while it felt quite repetitive. It is hard to say whether I'd call this a series of short stories or a novel, given that the stories take place in the same universe but over such a huge span of time that they feel quite disconnected. Every so often, a discriminatory comment or an unexpected reference to gender-based violence would turn up rather unexpectedly; I found these jarring, and not in a good way.

<i>Content warnings:</i> sexual assault, rape, misogyny, racism, violence