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laurel00's reviews
319 reviews
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Boulley has an amazing talent at writing otherwise seemingly unimportant, simple moments between characters and making them feel incredibly significant and deeply vulnerable.
Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This series continues to be a wonderful reading experience! Discovering love and friendship through Murderbot's eyes really tugs at my heartstrings and makes me feel all kinds of emotions.
I will say, I really did love its relationship with ART in the second novella, and although I understand what Wells wanted to do with this specific plotline and Murderbot's character development, I did miss that side of things. Of course, I do enjoy seeing the events of each story unfold, but the sci-fi elements aren't quite as interesting to me as Murderbot itself. And I feel like this novella was more focused on the mystery and didn't dig as deep into Murderbot's mindset as I was hoping, which explains why it isn't my favourite book in the series.
Nonetheless, I'm excited to see where things go from here!
I will say, I really did love its relationship with ART in the second novella, and although I understand what Wells wanted to do with this specific plotline and Murderbot's character development, I did miss that side of things. Of course, I do enjoy seeing the events of each story unfold, but the sci-fi elements aren't quite as interesting to me as Murderbot itself. And I feel like this novella was more focused on the mystery and didn't dig as deep into Murderbot's mindset as I was hoping, which explains why it isn't my favourite book in the series.
Nonetheless, I'm excited to see where things go from here!
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This is the third book I read for a book club with a friend of mine, and I don't know how, but we continue to choose the most amazing, devastating, heartbreaking stories. All I knew about this before going into it was that the plot was hard to explain, but that I simply had to trust that it would blow my mind—which it absolutely did!
I think, more than anything, Aoki has a truly beautiful writing style. I was brought to tears on so many different occasions throughout my reading experience—at times in very public spaces, might I add—and every single time I could not keep them in. There is just something about her prose that is so touching, it sounds almost lyrical, which paired so perfectly with the overall theme of music and song. In books where there are multiple storylines, I will always favour one over the others, and sometimes even get a bit annoyed when I have to slog through the chapters of my least favourite POV character. But with this book, I became deeply emotionally connected to every single character and every single storyline. There was never a dull moment, and I felt so personally invested in everything that was happening, which is a testament to Aoki's true talent as a writer.
This definitely has one of the more interesting plots that I've come across—which is getting more and more difficult to do in a publishing industry that seems to prioritize specific tropes and character dynamics. And I loved the way that we were introduced to all the world building. As complex and unique as it is, I never felt confused or unsure or lost in the story. I immediately connected to every person's struggles and journey and I loved every moment of it.
I also think this works so well as a genre-bending story. It definitely is fantastical and has a strong sci-fi element which would appeal to SFF readers, but it is very much based in a contemporary world with characters that feel real and relatable. Whether you are looking for romance or emotional devastation or an analysis of the human condition or a high-stakes other-worldly journey, you will find it in this novel.
Definitely worth the read!
I think, more than anything, Aoki has a truly beautiful writing style. I was brought to tears on so many different occasions throughout my reading experience—at times in very public spaces, might I add—and every single time I could not keep them in. There is just something about her prose that is so touching, it sounds almost lyrical, which paired so perfectly with the overall theme of music and song. In books where there are multiple storylines, I will always favour one over the others, and sometimes even get a bit annoyed when I have to slog through the chapters of my least favourite POV character. But with this book, I became deeply emotionally connected to every single character and every single storyline. There was never a dull moment, and I felt so personally invested in everything that was happening, which is a testament to Aoki's true talent as a writer.
This definitely has one of the more interesting plots that I've come across—which is getting more and more difficult to do in a publishing industry that seems to prioritize specific tropes and character dynamics. And I loved the way that we were introduced to all the world building. As complex and unique as it is, I never felt confused or unsure or lost in the story. I immediately connected to every person's struggles and journey and I loved every moment of it.
I also think this works so well as a genre-bending story. It definitely is fantastical and has a strong sci-fi element which would appeal to SFF readers, but it is very much based in a contemporary world with characters that feel real and relatable. Whether you are looking for romance or emotional devastation or an analysis of the human condition or a high-stakes other-worldly journey, you will find it in this novel.
Definitely worth the read!
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
As expected, I loved this even more than the first! I can't get over how endearing, charming, hilarious, and genuinely kind-hearted this "murderous killing machine" is and I love it with my entire being. Its friendship with ART was such a great part of this story, they both tugged at my heart strings on multiple occasions, and even though they're technically robots, I felt like I related to them and their relationship so much. I can't wait to read the rest!
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I'm really excited to keep reading the rest of these, because when it comes to novella-based series, it usually takes a couple of books for me to be fully invested, and I can already tell I'm going to get deeply attached to Murderbot!
The best part of this for me was definitely the narrative voice. Murderbot is such a fun character to follow along, from its humour and sarcasm to the way it views the world around it and the way it wants to be perceived by others. The fact that it continuously claims that it feels indifferent to the members of its team, but will jump towards any danger to protect and save them is so incredibly endearing, and seeing it slowly open up to them and try to learn to be more comfortable around them was genuinely adorable. I know it's supposed to be this tall, intimidating, dangerous, daunting thing but honestly it's so... cute!
On a purely personal note, I did get kind of confused with some of the world building, and I do think that the way that Wells introduces a lot of the systems feels quite seamless, but I still had a hard time always focusing on those passages, so there's probably a lot of details I didn't quite pick up on. That being said, it's such a short story, I have no doubt that I'll understand things more and more as I continue reading the series, which will make my reading experience that much better.
The best part of this for me was definitely the narrative voice. Murderbot is such a fun character to follow along, from its humour and sarcasm to the way it views the world around it and the way it wants to be perceived by others. The fact that it continuously claims that it feels indifferent to the members of its team, but will jump towards any danger to protect and save them is so incredibly endearing, and seeing it slowly open up to them and try to learn to be more comfortable around them was genuinely adorable. I know it's supposed to be this tall, intimidating, dangerous, daunting thing but honestly it's so... cute!
On a purely personal note, I did get kind of confused with some of the world building, and I do think that the way that Wells introduces a lot of the systems feels quite seamless, but I still had a hard time always focusing on those passages, so there's probably a lot of details I didn't quite pick up on. That being said, it's such a short story, I have no doubt that I'll understand things more and more as I continue reading the series, which will make my reading experience that much better.
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
"[He] gazed at me with a love so infinite it presented as a mad and indecipherable pattern. It was overwhelming and violent in its hunger. And even now it remains hard for me to determine how I feel about the men who had sprung from me—what to do with my deep hatred, and my bottomless love, for them."
I won't even attempt to list all of the themes that Jimenez expertly wrote about and wove together in this book, because I could never truly do his craft the justice it deserves.
I have a difficult time fully concentrating on every detail of a high fantasy novel—which probably explains why I so often get slightly lost in the world building. But my brain always wants to focus more on the plot and the characters, than the details of their environment or all the minute intricacies of the politics that are at the center of their story. However, in this book, Jimenez used one of the most unique narrative styles I have ever come across in all of the novels I've read. This forced me to pay close attention to every single word on every single page, and I admit that I was concerned at first. I worried this book would be difficult for me to fully engage with, and adding on the fact that it is more than 500 pages, I was sure I would need a month to get through it.
In the end, I loved every moment of this. Even in a considerably busy week, I found myself constantly reaching out to it, looking for moments of quiet and solitude to be able to read another 30 pages whenever I could. As daunting as the book seemed to me, it ended up being an amazing reading experience.
All the characters are so incredibly fascinating, and I became so entranced with the ways in which each of their lived experiences lead them to be the person they were at that moment. Jimenez is such a stellar author, and explores every single aspect of the human condition through these characters, which makes it all a beautiful, emotionally devastating read.
I cannot recommend this enough, it is so worth all the time and effort you have to put into it as a reader, because you are rewarded every 20 pages or so, with the feeling that you suddenly understand just a bit more about what it truly means to be human and what it means to love.
I won't even attempt to list all of the themes that Jimenez expertly wrote about and wove together in this book, because I could never truly do his craft the justice it deserves.
I have a difficult time fully concentrating on every detail of a high fantasy novel—which probably explains why I so often get slightly lost in the world building. But my brain always wants to focus more on the plot and the characters, than the details of their environment or all the minute intricacies of the politics that are at the center of their story. However, in this book, Jimenez used one of the most unique narrative styles I have ever come across in all of the novels I've read. This forced me to pay close attention to every single word on every single page, and I admit that I was concerned at first. I worried this book would be difficult for me to fully engage with, and adding on the fact that it is more than 500 pages, I was sure I would need a month to get through it.
In the end, I loved every moment of this. Even in a considerably busy week, I found myself constantly reaching out to it, looking for moments of quiet and solitude to be able to read another 30 pages whenever I could. As daunting as the book seemed to me, it ended up being an amazing reading experience.
All the characters are so incredibly fascinating, and I became so entranced with the ways in which each of their lived experiences lead them to be the person they were at that moment. Jimenez is such a stellar author, and explores every single aspect of the human condition through these characters, which makes it all a beautiful, emotionally devastating read.
I cannot recommend this enough, it is so worth all the time and effort you have to put into it as a reader, because you are rewarded every 20 pages or so, with the feeling that you suddenly understand just a bit more about what it truly means to be human and what it means to love.
Out of Place by Edward W. Said
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 32%.
Library hold is expiring and I can't renew it. Might come back to this.
Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History by Norman G. Finkelstein
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 24%.
Library hold is expiring and I can't renew it. Will be coming back to this.
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
adventurous
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I have slightly mixed feelings about this, because I think it was the case of me picking up a perfect book at the wrong time. This isn't to say I didn't enjoy reading this: there were some moments in here that made me genuinely emotional, I adored the characters, I thought the world-building was well done, and there are some panels in this that have definitely stuck with me. I just kept losing steam with it, so it took me longer to get through than I was anticipating, and I can't really pinpoint any specific thing that should have been improved or done differently—I think I was simply not in the right mood for it.
That being said, as I mentioned, there are some things I really loved about this, the best of which were the character designs and personal storylines. I'm incredibly obsessed with Mia and Grace, deeply in love with Alma and Char, and wholeheartedly enamored with Jules and Elliot. It was so wonderful to explore each of their relationships with one another; a found family full of lesbians and queer people sounds like an absolute dream, and their dynamics worked so well with one another.
The romances felt very realistic yet comforting. Things weren't always sunshine and roses, but it was so heartwarming to see the way that they communicated with one another, and did things for one another with all the love and care in the world. I also liked that this was very much a story about love, without being limited to romance. It looked at platonic and familial love, and I think it was beautifully executed.
The art is truly fascinating, and there were so many landscape panels that made me feel incredibly nostalgic for a universe and a world that I will never be able to access. It was kind of bittersweet, but kudos to Walden for invoking such a strong feeling within me. I will say some of the pages got a little chaotic, to a point that it actually became difficult to understand what I was looking at. I get that it's part of Walden's style to have the panels bleed into one another, and I think some of the pages were actually really well executed. But it did happen often enough that the messiness of it all got in the way of my reading experience.
Like I said, I wish I had picked this up when I was more in the mood for it, I think I would have had a much more engaging personal experience with it. But it still is a wonderful graphic novel, that I definitely recommend to those who are looking for a queer sci-fi adventure full of soft moments of sapphic love and found family.
That being said, as I mentioned, there are some things I really loved about this, the best of which were the character designs and personal storylines. I'm incredibly obsessed with Mia and Grace, deeply in love with Alma and Char, and wholeheartedly enamored with Jules and Elliot. It was so wonderful to explore each of their relationships with one another; a found family full of lesbians and queer people sounds like an absolute dream, and their dynamics worked so well with one another.
The romances felt very realistic yet comforting. Things weren't always sunshine and roses, but it was so heartwarming to see the way that they communicated with one another, and did things for one another with all the love and care in the world. I also liked that this was very much a story about love, without being limited to romance. It looked at platonic and familial love, and I think it was beautifully executed.
The art is truly fascinating, and there were so many landscape panels that made me feel incredibly nostalgic for a universe and a world that I will never be able to access. It was kind of bittersweet, but kudos to Walden for invoking such a strong feeling within me. I will say some of the pages got a little chaotic, to a point that it actually became difficult to understand what I was looking at. I get that it's part of Walden's style to have the panels bleed into one another, and I think some of the pages were actually really well executed. But it did happen often enough that the messiness of it all got in the way of my reading experience.
Like I said, I wish I had picked this up when I was more in the mood for it, I think I would have had a much more engaging personal experience with it. But it still is a wonderful graphic novel, that I definitely recommend to those who are looking for a queer sci-fi adventure full of soft moments of sapphic love and found family.
Squire by Nadia Shammas
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
"History is, in actuality, quite personal. All narratives should be interrogated, including this one. But don't let any one story tell you who you are."
Shammas does it again (yes, I know this is her debut, but it's the second book of hers that I pick up) with a deeply heart-breaking yet beautifully hopeful story that I absolutely adored. Paired with Alfageeh's truly stellar art style, these creator have delivered an amazing graphic novel. Although this may be aimed at a YA audience, I can wholeheartedly guarantee that many adults and people of all ages will be able to learn something new and find something significant within the pages of this book.
Squire does a phenomenal job at showcasing to its readers exactly how a specific narrative can be fed to you, so as to convince you not only to work against your own interests, but also to make you, in turn, perpetuate and spread that same false narrative—all while making you believe that are you doing the right thing. It perfectly lays out the insidiousness of colonialist propaganda: the fact that it is built on bigoted and racist stereotypes, the way that it preys on the hopes and dreams of young and vulnerable people, the manner in which it rewards those who uphold its violence and punishes those who try to criticize it.
Shammas and Alfageeh did an amazing job of creating characters that are realistic and relatable, and of bringing them to life so that their readers can feel personally invested in their stories. I loved just how diverse the cast was—not just when it comes to race and ethnicity, but also with regards to class, background, mindset, personalities. All of these elements perfectly translated into the ways each of the characters experienced the collective journey that they were on, and I really appreciated that we got to touch on each of their individual stories.
I definitely recommend this! To take the words of G. Willow Wilson's blurb on the back cover: "Squire makes you want to fight for a better world."
Shammas does it again (yes, I know this is her debut, but it's the second book of hers that I pick up) with a deeply heart-breaking yet beautifully hopeful story that I absolutely adored. Paired with Alfageeh's truly stellar art style, these creator have delivered an amazing graphic novel. Although this may be aimed at a YA audience, I can wholeheartedly guarantee that many adults and people of all ages will be able to learn something new and find something significant within the pages of this book.
Squire does a phenomenal job at showcasing to its readers exactly how a specific narrative can be fed to you, so as to convince you not only to work against your own interests, but also to make you, in turn, perpetuate and spread that same false narrative—all while making you believe that are you doing the right thing. It perfectly lays out the insidiousness of colonialist propaganda: the fact that it is built on bigoted and racist stereotypes, the way that it preys on the hopes and dreams of young and vulnerable people, the manner in which it rewards those who uphold its violence and punishes those who try to criticize it.
Shammas and Alfageeh did an amazing job of creating characters that are realistic and relatable, and of bringing them to life so that their readers can feel personally invested in their stories. I loved just how diverse the cast was—not just when it comes to race and ethnicity, but also with regards to class, background, mindset, personalities. All of these elements perfectly translated into the ways each of the characters experienced the collective journey that they were on, and I really appreciated that we got to touch on each of their individual stories.
I definitely recommend this! To take the words of G. Willow Wilson's blurb on the back cover: "Squire makes you want to fight for a better world."