mentat_stem's reviews
786 reviews

Sweet Tooth Compendium by Jeff Lemire

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

A Sign of the Times by Joe Hill

dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Puzzleheart by Jenn Reese

adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Grief

The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

dark informative mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

Still marinating in my thoughts.

My favorite by Wendig by a mile and I enjoy his writing.

Cranberry Cove by Hailey Piper

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is a clockwork sort of horror. Every scene, every thought, every repetitive noise all play their role.

This is a novella that could be staged as a play. Almost every scene is in a small room with 1-3 people. The larger world of both the haunting and the characters' criminal associates are told in exposition: small rays of information impotently attempting to dispell the claustrophobic shadows of the present.

Initially there's a hint of the supernatural in a creepy yet otherwise mundane setting. Every clue fills in a puzzle that contradicts reality. An off stage mob boss won't accept "ghost" for an answer. Along the way consent, enablement, fear and stubborness are examined both sexually and supernaturally. The story crescendos to a satisfying magical confrontation.

A near perfect use of the novella length and a delightful overlap of crime, horror and literary character study.

Bright: A Memoir in Fragments by Kiki Petrosino

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

4.75

The fragments are numbered differently than the page numbers.

The fairy tale epigraphs blend seamlessly into the chapters they head.

I'm reminded that inside each marginalized group is a marginalized group. The fractal nature of this requires a matching fractal Intersectionality.

I love how the poet uses the structure of poetry to tell a story in prose. Uses academic techniques to illuminate personal insights.

Beautiful and highly recommended.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Grief

Moderate: Suicide

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

dANGER by Dal Cecil Runo

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The cadence of the prose is a highlight. There's a lot packed into a small package here. The alternating 1st person narration led us to question both accounts. It's cat and mouse noir with inlaid disability and LGBTQIA rep.

We Move Together by Kelly Fritsch, Anne McGuire

emotional informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

I love the format of We Move Together. It's mostly a picture book that shows diverse bodies existing and overcoming conflicts and thriving together.

The final four pages are mostly text, with illustrations cropped from the rest of the book. They provide a 101 introduction to Ableism, Accessibility and related topics. The relationship between these 2 sections make this a wonderful, educational tool!