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leonidskies's reviews
142 reviews
Colliding Forces by Niranjan K
hopeful
fast-paced
1.25
I read a copy of this book as a judge for the Self Published Sci Fi Competition - these are my personal thoughts rather than an indication of the book's overall performance in the competition.
Colliding Forces is juggling a lot of balls. I think, if you're a really huge fan of all the balls - characters in a secret service, magic in family bloodlines, hidden identities and heritage, soulmates, and chosen family - then this book could work really well for you. I like quite a few of those things, but didn't enjoy the execution in this book.
The prose is very straightforward and made for a quick read. I had a pretty good idea of what was going on at all times, mostly because the approach was very much for telling over showing - sometimes to the extent that the most major events simply happened between chapters.
I didn't enjoy this book, however. While I understood what the plot and characters was going for, I didn't find it compelling as the characters were flat and seemed to just change to get the fastest route to the end of the book. There was no tension and everything resolved itself very easily, despite repeated insistence from every character that it was going to be nearly impossible.
This book likely has an audience, but I'm not that audience.
Colliding Forces is juggling a lot of balls. I think, if you're a really huge fan of all the balls - characters in a secret service, magic in family bloodlines, hidden identities and heritage, soulmates, and chosen family - then this book could work really well for you. I like quite a few of those things, but didn't enjoy the execution in this book.
The prose is very straightforward and made for a quick read. I had a pretty good idea of what was going on at all times, mostly because the approach was very much for telling over showing - sometimes to the extent that the most major events simply happened between chapters.
I didn't enjoy this book, however. While I understood what the plot and characters was going for, I didn't find it compelling as the characters were flat and seemed to just change to get the fastest route to the end of the book. There was no tension and everything resolved itself very easily, despite repeated insistence from every character that it was going to be nearly impossible.
This book likely has an audience, but I'm not that audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest and Rape
Moderate: Torture
Synthetic Sea by Franklyn S. Newton
hopeful
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
2.75
I read a copy of this book as a judge for the Self Published Sci Fi Competition - these are my personal thoughts rather than an indication of the book's performance in the competition.
This book has a lot to offer - a strong sense of place and deliciously created atmosphere, a very sweet romance (t4t!!!!), and super interesting work relating to synthetic bodies and everything attached to a world where that's possible.
I really enjoyed those parts of the book, and revelled in what felt like the author's joy in writing them. I especially adored the transness of this book and its romance - Guin and Ryoma are both a delight and the queernormativity was effortless.
Unfortunately, this book really needed a much more thorough edit, on both a copy editing and developmental editing level. If you're happy to look past the comma splicing and want to enjoy a romance book with a sci fi setting based on its vibes, though, this is probably a strong contender for you!
This book has a lot to offer - a strong sense of place and deliciously created atmosphere, a very sweet romance (t4t!!!!), and super interesting work relating to synthetic bodies and everything attached to a world where that's possible.
I really enjoyed those parts of the book, and revelled in what felt like the author's joy in writing them. I especially adored the transness of this book and its romance - Guin and Ryoma are both a delight and the queernormativity was effortless.
Unfortunately, this book really needed a much more thorough edit, on both a copy editing and developmental editing level. If you're happy to look past the comma splicing and want to enjoy a romance book with a sci fi setting based on its vibes, though, this is probably a strong contender for you!
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This is an enrapturing, horrifying, and thoughtful book. It's very short, but incredibly precise - it does what it means to do and it does it well.
I'm not the biggest fan of Lovecraftian horror - a book about the same Cthulu mythos was my only DNF last year, but this book is like day to its night. It's tense, mysterious, and cuts close to its unfathomable horror without teetering into absurdity.
It's short - I read it in about two hours - and well worth your time. Its sparing use of physical gore pairs well with its more 'mundane' but equally horrifying attention to police brutality. I'm really glad I took the time to read this novella.
I'm not the biggest fan of Lovecraftian horror - a book about the same Cthulu mythos was my only DNF last year, but this book is like day to its night. It's tense, mysterious, and cuts close to its unfathomable horror without teetering into absurdity.
It's short - I read it in about two hours - and well worth your time. Its sparing use of physical gore pairs well with its more 'mundane' but equally horrifying attention to police brutality. I'm really glad I took the time to read this novella.
A Crimson Covenant by Aimee Donnellan
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I received an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
This is a book I took a little while to warm up to, but GOSH once it warmed up it was so good. The character complexity here - especially the reality of the way relationships developed - was so, so good. This is some of the best character work I've read all year, and a really good piece of dual-perspective writing.
I also loved the way queernormativity and mental health were presented in a fantasy world - I really liked the way the use/lack of use of specific terminology was handled alongside making it clear what individual characters were struggling with. I was not a huge fan of the way a nonbinary character was near-immediately killed off, but if you're okay with that then the rest of this novel is well worth your time.
It also worked wonderfully as the start of a series - the setup didn't detract from the narrative, but in the back third of the novel the world of the setting really expanded into something I'd be happy to read more of.
The only reason this isn't 5* for me is the comparatively weaker opening and occasionally clumsy writing/editing mistakes (the worst of which is the misgendering of a nonbinary character in the narration), the latter of which might not be reflected in the book when it's released. Otherwise, a really wonderful book and well worth picking up if you want to read a sapphic romantasy with a queernormative world and compelling character arcs.
This is a book I took a little while to warm up to, but GOSH once it warmed up it was so good. The character complexity here - especially the reality of the way relationships developed - was so, so good. This is some of the best character work I've read all year, and a really good piece of dual-perspective writing.
I also loved the way queernormativity and mental health were presented in a fantasy world - I really liked the way the use/lack of use of specific terminology was handled alongside making it clear what individual characters were struggling with. I was not a huge fan of the way a nonbinary character was near-immediately killed off, but if you're okay with that then the rest of this novel is well worth your time.
It also worked wonderfully as the start of a series - the setup didn't detract from the narrative, but in the back third of the novel the world of the setting really expanded into something I'd be happy to read more of.
The only reason this isn't 5* for me is the comparatively weaker opening and occasionally clumsy writing/editing mistakes (the worst of which is the misgendering of a nonbinary character in the narration), the latter of which might not be reflected in the book when it's released. Otherwise, a really wonderful book and well worth picking up if you want to read a sapphic romantasy with a queernormative world and compelling character arcs.
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
This is a really solid, achingly beautiful and lovingly constructed story. I really enjoyed the two main characters, and absolutely ADORED the journey they were on together. The food descriptions especially were so, so good, and I could feel the care poured into the atmosphere. I also really liked the supporting cast - there were lots of really fun moments. This had just the right mix of heartbreak and hope, bitterness and pining. I truly had such a blast reading this novel and absolutely flew through it.
There was a comment in the book about sexuality that didn't agree with me as an asexual person, to the point it threw me out of the mood for a decent chunk towards the back third of the novel. That, and the fact that there were simply way more sex scenes than are to my taste, are the only real reasons I wouldn't give this novel a 5* rating.
There was a comment in the book about sexuality that didn't agree with me as an asexual person, to the point it threw me out of the mood for a decent chunk towards the back third of the novel. That, and the fact that there were simply way more sex scenes than are to my taste, are the only real reasons I wouldn't give this novel a 5* rating.
Chef's Kiss by TJ Alexander
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.75
This was an absolutely DELIGHTFUL book and I loved it start to finish.
Contemporary romance is not my genre but I'd heard of the author and my copy was reduced because it was damaged while on the shelves, so I thought I'd pick it up and I do NOT regret it. This was put together so utterly lovingly, from the characters to the food descriptions (ohhhhh god some of those food descriptions made me so hungry).
My kingdom for romance with a trans person. My kingdom for other trans and otherwise queer people also being in the book!! Without revealing the plot point itself, the emotional payoff relating to transphobia in the workplace by the end of the book.........so good. So good I teared up while reading this in public.
The only thing I could possibly have wished for is more of it. Oh no, looks like the author has published other books too 👀👀
Contemporary romance is not my genre but I'd heard of the author and my copy was reduced because it was damaged while on the shelves, so I thought I'd pick it up and I do NOT regret it. This was put together so utterly lovingly, from the characters to the food descriptions (ohhhhh god some of those food descriptions made me so hungry).
My kingdom for romance with a trans person. My kingdom for other trans and otherwise queer people also being in the book!! Without revealing the plot point itself, the emotional payoff relating to transphobia in the workplace by the end of the book.........so good. So good I teared up while reading this in public.
The only thing I could possibly have wished for is more of it. Oh no, looks like the author has published other books too 👀👀
Wherever the Stars Call by S. Jean
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I received an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
This is a really fun, heartwarming book! I super enjoyed the core characters and absolutely adored how queer everything was (and how NORMAL that was. I'm always mixed on queernormative worlds, but I really enjoyed this). I love love loved how the story revolved around chosen family - I'm a sucker for it and this hit the spot for me.
The plot was pretty simple and relatively predictable, but the individual elements were super strong - the writing of the function and malfunction of cybernetics was 👌👌 and wasn't so high-tech that I felt lost.
The only real weakness this book has, beyond preference on content/pacing, is the worldbuilding, which was definitely more vibes than something that felt real to me. I still enjoyed what was there, though!
This book is really lovely for anyone looking for a queerplatonic sci fi road trip kind of vibe, and I'd highly recommend it if you're into that!
This is a really fun, heartwarming book! I super enjoyed the core characters and absolutely adored how queer everything was (and how NORMAL that was. I'm always mixed on queernormative worlds, but I really enjoyed this). I love love loved how the story revolved around chosen family - I'm a sucker for it and this hit the spot for me.
The plot was pretty simple and relatively predictable, but the individual elements were super strong - the writing of the function and malfunction of cybernetics was 👌👌 and wasn't so high-tech that I felt lost.
The only real weakness this book has, beyond preference on content/pacing, is the worldbuilding, which was definitely more vibes than something that felt real to me. I still enjoyed what was there, though!
This book is really lovely for anyone looking for a queerplatonic sci fi road trip kind of vibe, and I'd highly recommend it if you're into that!
Trans and Disabled: An Anthology of Identities and Experiences by Alex Iantaffi
emotional
informative
fast-paced
4.5
I received an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
This is a really good collection of transmasc and nonbinary disabled perspectives, which ranged largely between insightful and moving. It's a pretty short read too, and the anthology can easily be picked up and put down for those with limited energy or time.
There were a couple of disappointing essays - a few I found a little basic for my tastes, and one that was basically an advert. I also found myself noticing the lack of transfemme perspectives when the collection was looked at as a whole.
Overall, this is a really strong collection that I would highly recommend to any and all who are at all interested. It's very thoughtful and many of the contributors clearly come from spaces of knowledge and experience. There are so many whose past and future work I'd love to check out after reading this anthology.
This is a really good collection of transmasc and nonbinary disabled perspectives, which ranged largely between insightful and moving. It's a pretty short read too, and the anthology can easily be picked up and put down for those with limited energy or time.
There were a couple of disappointing essays - a few I found a little basic for my tastes, and one that was basically an advert. I also found myself noticing the lack of transfemme perspectives when the collection was looked at as a whole.
Overall, this is a really strong collection that I would highly recommend to any and all who are at all interested. It's very thoughtful and many of the contributors clearly come from spaces of knowledge and experience. There are so many whose past and future work I'd love to check out after reading this anthology.
Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is the first book written solely by Pratchett that I've read, and I enjoyed it quite a lot! It was a really solid read that split itself between silliness and cutting social commentary, with a dash of things that felt pretty obvious to me but maybe weren't when the book was written.
The concept was charming and the execution was better in parts (took itself more seriously than I expected), but occasionally dragged itself down (for me) by returning to the refrain of the joke it's based upon with mixed success.
I did REALLY enjoy it though, and I'm definitely inclined to pick up some of the political-leaning Discworld works if there are any that strike my fancy.
The concept was charming and the execution was better in parts (took itself more seriously than I expected), but occasionally dragged itself down (for me) by returning to the refrain of the joke it's based upon with mixed success.
I did REALLY enjoy it though, and I'm definitely inclined to pick up some of the political-leaning Discworld works if there are any that strike my fancy.
Queer Disability through History: The Queer and Disabled Movements through their Personalities by Daisy Holder
medium-paced
1.0
I received an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.
I wanted to like this book, I really did. I'm a queer and disabled person with training as a historian, so this looked like an absolutely ideal read for me. Instead, I would honestly say that this author has been failed in being told this book is publishable as a work of history.
The writing, in the version I received, needed serious editing, from structure to line edits. Much of the content was tenuously linked together, such that this was not a queer disability history but was mostly a history of several individuals who were queer and disabled, with frequent tangents into general queer or disabled history. The tone was entirely unacademic to the point of disparaging the work of historians that the book should have (and only occasionally was) built upon, and was otherwise sarcastic to the point of confusion. Some of the historical facts were wrong, and the historical analysis was next to nonexistent. The sources referenced were of low quality (and often formatted inconsistently), ranging from BBC news articles to podcast episodes, with barely any use of original or academic sources.
Some of the content was interesting, but that's probably the only positive point I can find. I know the author is clearly passionate about the content, but I would instead have encouraged them to do further high-quality research and work on their writing skills without trusting their work to a press that doesn't give their book the editing or cover (seriously, why is the cover a fake tweet by the author?) it deserves. This book would have been much better served by good framing as to what it actually is.
If you think you would like to read a 'popular history' (written for an audience with no academic/historical knowledge or study experience) book which gives the very basics of some queer and disabled history in the US and UK, like books written in a sarcastic tone, and have no trust for any academic historical work, then this book is genuinely for you. I like none of these things and this book was therefore not for me.
I wanted to like this book, I really did. I'm a queer and disabled person with training as a historian, so this looked like an absolutely ideal read for me. Instead, I would honestly say that this author has been failed in being told this book is publishable as a work of history.
The writing, in the version I received, needed serious editing, from structure to line edits. Much of the content was tenuously linked together, such that this was not a queer disability history but was mostly a history of several individuals who were queer and disabled, with frequent tangents into general queer or disabled history. The tone was entirely unacademic to the point of disparaging the work of historians that the book should have (and only occasionally was) built upon, and was otherwise sarcastic to the point of confusion. Some of the historical facts were wrong, and the historical analysis was next to nonexistent. The sources referenced were of low quality (and often formatted inconsistently), ranging from BBC news articles to podcast episodes, with barely any use of original or academic sources.
Some of the content was interesting, but that's probably the only positive point I can find. I know the author is clearly passionate about the content, but I would instead have encouraged them to do further high-quality research and work on their writing skills without trusting their work to a press that doesn't give their book the editing or cover (seriously, why is the cover a fake tweet by the author?) it deserves. This book would have been much better served by good framing as to what it actually is.
If you think you would like to read a 'popular history' (written for an audience with no academic/historical knowledge or study experience) book which gives the very basics of some queer and disabled history in the US and UK, like books written in a sarcastic tone, and have no trust for any academic historical work, then this book is genuinely for you. I like none of these things and this book was therefore not for me.