lindaskessler's reviews
24 reviews

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I’ve been racking my brain, searching for just what I can say about this book. As harsh as it may sound, what I’ve landed on is that it feels rather pointless. I love family drama, class drama, character driven “come-to-Jesus” reckonings. But this just missed the mark. While there were  small moments throughout where I truly thought these women had reflected, had grown—at the end of the book I felt like nothing had truly changed. Reviews are truly so subjective. If you like multi-POV stories with wild family dynamics and unreliable narrators this could be the book for you. It’s just not for me. I do have to say, the narrator for this audio book really brought these characters to life and gave them full dimension through her voice. If I were reading the print or ebook I think I might have DNFed.

Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley

funny hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

For good or bad. She’d certainly turned his world on its head. Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.

If you’re looking for a sweet Valentine’s read (in more ways than one) check out Wesley’s enemies-to-lovers tale featuring a cupcake-slinging no-nonsense football star and a chaotic reality TV contestant with a bougie background. 🧁 

“I stopped in here for a cupcake on a whim.” “And it was love at first sight?” his mother asked, all eager hopefulness. “No, it wasn’t. She insulted my cupcakes.”

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

dark emotional lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Flor had always carried the mark of death. It was known from the moment she was born.

What a hell of a way to introduce a character! Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo is penned as a compilation of stories surrounding the past and present of the Marte sisters, their daughters, and their mother. This book does not try to tell the “perfect” story, rather, it shows us the raw lives of a multigenerational immigrant household and the puzzle pieces that make up their familial picture. It is also about a group of women who can see beyond what is in front of them.

My mother’s magic, like all of the magic for those of us who have a hint of uncanniness, is not like White people’s magic in the movies—led by ritual, called upon, granted in a ceremony of smoke and candelabras. It is not an orderly system like how fantasy novels can describe the exact structure of where and whence and thusly. The women in my family get struck by an unknown lightning rod. Charged with a newfound gift that has rules unto itself.

This story is full of tough hard truths. Trauma. Unforgivable acts. And through these moments we see our characters mold and change. Learn and grow. Forgive (or not) and love. Pastora and Flor’s bond and backstory have stuck with me the most. And I do find that overall I looked forward to the chapters about the older women more than that of their daughters. It is hard to compare the stories of one sister who can see truth and another who can see death with that of their children who can feed the stomach and soul and … influence others’ sexual appetite (?). 

Despite a few moments that took me out of the tale, I enjoyed reading this account of a young woman getting to the core of the history (and lore) of her family, and a seasoned lady who wanted to be in control of her own story. I would definitely recommend giving this one a read (especially if magical, multigenerational matriarchys are up your alley!) and I look forward to diving into other works by Acevedo.

Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories by Ghassan Kanafani

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

“The huge lorry was carrying them along the road, together with their dreams, their families, their  hopes and ambitions, their misery and despair, their strength and weakness, their past and future, as if it were pushing against the immense door to a new, unknown destiny.“

This collection of writings by Ghassan Kanafani is laden with both literal and figurative grief. The grief of loss—of homeland, of family, of life and limb. But these stories are not solely of the Palestinian people; Kanafani wrote so that others might see themselves reflected in his tales.

So thankful to @readingforpalestine for starting their international book club and selecting this as a #bookclub read. 

In “Men in the Sun” I saw ties to my sister’s father’s journey from Mexico to the US as he risked everything for an opportunity to change his life. His trek took a different turn than that of Marwan, Abu Qais, and Assad, but in their story I felt his.

“The Land of Sad Oranges” is for me a somber reflection of the plight of indigenous peoples, particularly those affected by American colonialism. I wonder what our country would look like if the land had been cared for by people who truly called it their homeland.

“If You Were a Horse” is a story about trauma, and more specifically parental trauma that affects one’s relationship with their child. I am sure many readers, like myself, saw elements of this story in their own.

While these stories express pain and grief, they also tell of hope, resilience, change, resistance, and community. In the last writing, “Letter from Gaza,” there is a resounding feeling of steadfastness and resolve in spite of unimaginable circumstances. This collection is heavy and important; I do hope you’ll sit down with it. As #freepalestine protesters have coined—in our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians 🇵🇸 

“I won’t come to you. But you, return to us! Come back, to learn […] what life is and what existence is worth. Come back, my friend! We are all waiting for you.“

The Hazards of Love Vol. 1: Bright World by Stan Stanley

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

5.0

“Think we got a shot?” “Ha, no. But let’s try anyway.” 

I so enjoyed this dark, queer adventure of a graphic novel! An evil cat, an identity stolen; can Amparo make their way back home? Not ready for this tale to end, I was thrilled to see Stanley has continued twice weekly releases of the comic! I have some more reading to do 🫡

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

And as she turned, it was revealed by her tread that she was fireborne.

If dragons, revolution, political unrest, dual POV, situations that are more grey than black and white, and slow burn subplots are your thing—this is the book for you! I’m not usually a series girlie either (I love a one and done) but Munda has pulled me into her world. I can’t wait to pick up the rest of the Aurelian Cycle series 🐉

They watch us kneel, they see the back of our heads, and they think we've given in. They don't realize you can think from your knees just as well as from your feet.

This book made me laugh and cry and want to scream in anger. I loved how each of the characters in the circle of our MCs Annie and Lee are fleshed out and multidimensional. I have a love hate relationship with everything both Annie and Lee have been through together and separately that has led to who they are today. And I am regularly questioning just who I want to “win” in the various conflicts throughout this book. In Fireborne, as in life, situations are not always as black and white as we would like, nor is there always a clear “right” answer.

Much of what you’ll be doing, as Guardians, will be deciding which is the lesser evil. Who lives, who dies. It will be—it should be—a terrible burden.

The Color of Always: an LGBTQIA+ Love Anthology by Brent Fisher, Michele Abounader

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Take care little one—It doesn’t always get better—At least, not right away—It takes patience—And some work—And some false starts—But it’s okay to love them all—And it’s nice to finally meet you

Color of Always is a graphic novel LGBTQIA+ love anthology made up of 15 sections including 13 short stories, an introduction, and acknowledgements.

I really appreciated the vibrant colors, dynamic storytelling, and diverse range of emotions and characters we were able to explore in this collection. I did have a few favorites, including “Long Away,” “Extra Pages,” “Leaves,” and “Ever More Myself.”

I really enjoy reading graphic novels, and this read presented something new as it was my first time diving into the short story graphic novel format. I did feel like it was a little difficult for me to get fully immersed/invested into each story because of how short they were, but I think that’s more due to this being my first anthology of this type than anything on the part of the authors and illustrators.

I don’t want to give anything away, but I really appreciated the time taken to show the kaleidoscope of queer love from self and familial to romantic to platonic and ranging from themes of heartbreak and self doubt to joy, hope, and acceptance.

This is a great read anytime of the year, but I’d definitely recommend picking up Color of Always for PRIDE this year 🌈 10/10 would recommend

Glorious. Yes, that’s us, learning the words, how to speak, sucking deep on something sweet with a sunset the color of always.

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

4.0

You must understand that this is a tale about people who are both what they seem and not what they seem. Simultaneously. A story of contradictions. In other words, it is a story about human beings.

What an introduction to the literary world of Brandon Sanderson! This epic fantasy was just what I needed to start of 2024. We explore, through description and illustration, breathtaking landscapes within Sanderson's Cosmere as our heroine leaves behind everything she's ever known (yes, yes, a trope we all know well) to rescue the love of her life who has become something of a "dude in distress." Our teacup-loving, bargain-hunting, never-imposing Tress sails on two ships (and one rowboat) across three seas as she faces danger and despair at the hands of expected and unexpected foes. 

Why wouldn't I end up trapped on a ship

captained by a demon

sailing straight toward my own doom? 

I truly enjoyed this read from the main plot—a flip on the "man rescues his love from certain death" trope—and side quests—who knew we'd deep-dive into Lumar's artillery—to the stories of both Tress and the crew members she falls in with. For two-thirds of the book, the pacing and story had me struggling to put the book down (who needs sleep, eh?). I did feel the progression was a little rushed toward the end as I found myself regularly checking how many pages were left and incredulously wondering how we could get through the coming trials before the book ran out of text. 

Nothing motivates quite like a deadline. Particularly one that emphasizes the dead part.

I was thrilled that, of course, Sanderson did not run out of words or pages, and he addressed nearly all my questions (some likely answered only by reading more Cosmere novels!) in an ending that left me feeling satisfied if not a little sad to see our trek with Tress come to an end. This nearly 400-page epic reads more like a novella as you won't want to put it down until the lively chaos has reached its conclusion. I definitely recommend checking out (literally and figuratively) Tress and The Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson with illustrations by Howard Lyon.

The Talk of the Town by The New Yorker

lighthearted medium-paced

For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse