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loiscc's reviews
313 reviews
Untouchable by Talia Hibbert
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.0
This book is all the feels! Very cheerful despite many a heavy theme, believable, aware and sweet. A bit hyperbolic sometimes but perfect if you're in need of a happy sappy book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma
Minor: Racism
Revolting Prostitutes: The Fight for Sex Workers' Rights by Molly Smith, Juno Mac
challenging
informative
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Revolting Prostitutes is an unswerving, staunchly worded books that opposes patriarchal labour and policing law, expressing how these forces actively harm sex workers across the world today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by Angela Chen
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Ace is a clear-sighted collection of essays that explores the plurality of asexuality in a sex obsessed society.
Sweethand by N.G. Peltier
Did not finish book. Stopped at 63%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 63%.
this book is fun and vibesy but it wasn't engaging enough.
Feminism, Interrupted: Disrupting Power by Lola Olufemi
challenging
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Feminism, Interrupted explores how vast feminism as an ideology is and adopts a fiercely intersectional approach to discourse about art, trans lives, sex workers, creativity and so much more.
It argues the case for a feminism that is so radical, it is unsettling, but in a good way. This book will make you question all the manifestations of social organising that we've all just come to accept as normal and turn it completely on its head.
I love the way this book discusses the theory of collectivism. It is poignantly summarised in this quote by Neha Shah, an anti-racist activist; "...𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥; 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬."
It argues the case for a feminism that is so radical, it is unsettling, but in a good way. This book will make you question all the manifestations of social organising that we've all just come to accept as normal and turn it completely on its head.
I love the way this book discusses the theory of collectivism. It is poignantly summarised in this quote by Neha Shah, an anti-racist activist; "...𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥; 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐟 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬."
The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A tragic magical realism love story; it was unsettling but fascinatingly deep.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A corporate-style romance that's equally as cushy and swoonworthy.
The business professional verbiage was laid on a bit thick which was off-putting but I loved the push-and-pull dynamic between Samiah and Daniel.
The business professional verbiage was laid on a bit thick which was off-putting but I loved the push-and-pull dynamic between Samiah and Daniel.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? No
4.0
An African-inspired, high stakes, vibrant fantasy novel. A Song Of Wraiths and Ruin is a brilliant, fast-paced debut and a beautifully woven story. It was a enchanting mix of adventure, sorcery, legend and romance. Loved it and excited for the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Self harm, Blood
Being Hospitable by Meka James
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Would've been 4 stars but this book was far too short and lacked in actual storytelling or development. It was essentially a 60-page porno. Everything about the characters' lives i.e. Charley's internship, Kiki's job, Kenneth's obsessiveness wasn't explored to their fullest potential. This book is mainly about the sex and can be easily read in one-sitting. I'd give it 5 stars for the fan service alone but the critic in me wishes there was a better attempt at actually crafting a fully developed narrative.
Luster by Raven Leilani
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book makes some really interesting observations about human interaction and thought. It seemed both overly gratuitous and oddly mundane. It is an unflinching book about a young black woman's life in the face of social disparity and constant hookups. Her only distractions are painting and her obsession with a much older man. There's a lot of tension between the three main characters in this odd cohabitation. It's perversely page-turning.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Classism