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michela_wilson's reviews
51 reviews
Fortunate Misfortune by Miah Onsha
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
5.0
I have not been able to stop thinking about this book since I finished it because this book was EVERYTHING!!! I have never felt more seen, and it's made me feel hopeful about life again. The found family and small town North Carolina vibes were wonderful, and the chronic illness representation made me feel like the book was written just for me!
While I don't have diabetes, I felt very seen as someone who has chronic pain. The discussion of how you should and should not treat loved ones that have a chronic illness was extremely accurate. We don't want to be infantilized! We want a copilot, and Mallory goes through a journey to find that in her life. I love, love, LOVE the multitude of different relationships that demonstrate the differences between pitying/infantilizing and real support/co-piloting. Mallory’s work to set boundaries to change the relationships that needed to change was very relatable and accurate. I have had those conversations and it's incredible to have a book that shows that, while relationships change when you have a chronic illness, they can change for the better!
Now let's talk about the romance (because that's why we’re here obviously). The rivals to lovers ATE in this book. Kenneth and Mallory are so precious, and I would literally die for them. If you are looking for a modern-day Kate and Anthony from Bridgerton, you found it and will NOT be disappointed. Their competitiveness always comes first, but they are willing to stick up for each other when it matters most (even when they 'hate' one another). Also, the dual POV adds so much to their romance and allows you to get to know both Kenneth and Mallory so deeply.
The portion of this book that really had me crying was Kenneth’s relationship with his family. Without getting too personal, Kenneth and I share a lot of similarities in our current family situations, and it’s been hard to feel hopeful recently. However, reading his journey gave me the hope I desperately needed and has made me feel excited for the future.
Now let's talk about the romance (because that's why we’re here obviously). The rivals to lovers ATE in this book. Kenneth and Mallory are so precious, and I would literally die for them. If you are looking for a modern-day Kate and Anthony from Bridgerton, you found it and will NOT be disappointed. Their competitiveness always comes first, but they are willing to stick up for each other when it matters most (even when they 'hate' one another). Also, the dual POV adds so much to their romance and allows you to get to know both Kenneth and Mallory so deeply.
The portion of this book that really had me crying was Kenneth’s relationship with his family. Without getting too personal, Kenneth and I share a lot of similarities in our current family situations, and it’s been hard to feel hopeful recently. However, reading his journey gave me the hope I desperately needed and has made me feel excited for the future.
I needed this book, and I am so grateful Miah Onsha was able to write this incredible story for all of us to love.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Grief
Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
If you ever enjoyed those late-night History Channel "documentaries" that try to prove aliens were the reason for humanity's progress you are going to absolutely love Jumpnauts!
In this futuristic version of Earth, we follow of group of four unlikely friends who find out aliens are coming to Earth and they might be friendly. However, they live in an era of a cold war between two major factions who both want the aliens' power for themselves. These four have to find the aliens first and convince them and themselves that humanity is worth helping and trusting in.
I had an incredible time reading this book. The beginning was a little melodramatic and the science was a bit funky, but I really enjoyed the characters and all of their quirks, which began to shine in the second half of the novel. The latter half of this book starts to get deeper into each character's motivation for being who they are. They each have to dissect their past and what they want their future to be. In fact, this book's best feature is the deep conversations about the importance of community and individuality in humanity and whether there is hope for the future.
The main issue I had when reading Jumpnauts was the amount of loredumping there was in the beginning. Now I am a big sci-fi and fantasy reader and I understand the need for a lore drop now and again, but there were times I felt like I was reading a textbook, which was not a fun time. I think this may have been because of the translation of the book from Maderian to English. I believe the translator may have felt the need to overexplain some details, but I did not like how it ended up in the final work. There was no trust put in the reader to figure out how the world operated because it was straight-up told to you, but the lore dumping is not as bad in the latter half of the book.
I am very excited to see more of this world and I had a wonderful time escaping into this futuristic alien universe.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hao Jingfang for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this futuristic version of Earth, we follow of group of four unlikely friends who find out aliens are coming to Earth and they might be friendly. However, they live in an era of a cold war between two major factions who both want the aliens' power for themselves. These four have to find the aliens first and convince them and themselves that humanity is worth helping and trusting in.
I had an incredible time reading this book. The beginning was a little melodramatic and the science was a bit funky, but I really enjoyed the characters and all of their quirks, which began to shine in the second half of the novel. The latter half of this book starts to get deeper into each character's motivation for being who they are. They each have to dissect their past and what they want their future to be. In fact, this book's best feature is the deep conversations about the importance of community and individuality in humanity and whether there is hope for the future.
The main issue I had when reading Jumpnauts was the amount of loredumping there was in the beginning. Now I am a big sci-fi and fantasy reader and I understand the need for a lore drop now and again, but there were times I felt like I was reading a textbook, which was not a fun time. I think this may have been because of the translation of the book from Maderian to English. I believe the translator may have felt the need to overexplain some details, but I did not like how it ended up in the final work. There was no trust put in the reader to figure out how the world operated because it was straight-up told to you, but the lore dumping is not as bad in the latter half of the book.
I am very excited to see more of this world and I had a wonderful time escaping into this futuristic alien universe.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hao Jingfang for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny and War
Who TF Did I Marry by Reesa Teesa
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang
dark
tense
medium-paced
2.0
To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods was a book I could not wait for. I thought the plot sounded fascinating and death magic is always so interesting when done well; but unfortunately, I could not have been more disappointed while reading this book. In fact, I almost DNF'd it because of how uncomfortable I got towards the middle when the romance officially began. Let's break down why this book gets a no from me.
The first thing I want to mention is that this is a colonizer x colonized romance. While I am all for enemies-to-lovers, this was a Stockholm Syndrome dark romance disguised as YA enemies-to-lovers and it was frankly just abusive. There was no equal footing between Ruying and her love interest so instead of an enemies-to-lovers plot it turned into pages of watching a woman get tortured and brainwashed by her abuser. It made me think that this was trying to be a dark romance book for a younger audience and that really rubbed me the wrong way.
The romance itself was also extremely underdeveloped and it made me think that it wasn't even in the original draft of the book. To be honest, I think I would have loved this book so much more had the romance not been in there at all (and as a romantasy girlie that shocked me).
The worldbuilding also suffered because the romance took precedence, leading to multiple pages of lore dumping that interrupted the pacing of the book entirely. The world itself was fascinating and I did love the sci-fi elements, but I began losing interest when the book focused more on telling me how the world works rather than showing me how the world worked.
The writing itself was very choppy and repetitive (especially at the beginning) and it felt like there was no trust put in the reader to follow along with the world Molly X. Chang built. However, several later chapters felt extremely well-written and had beautiful prose and I am just sad that it did not carry throughout the rest of the book. Again it felt like Molly X. Chang was forced to put more explanations into a wonderful world of resistance, and I hope that she was not forced by the publisher to dilute her original story.
Then there is the main cause of my disappointment, the execution of the magic itself. The magic of the Xianlings is the coolest part of this book. The Qi and folklore explaining how magic works were fascinating and the death magic Ruying holds was why this book was my most anticipated read of the year! However, the moments when Ruying learned to wield her magic were skipped over in a time jump. There was also so much promise at the beginning where Death speaks directly to Ruying multiple times while she wields her magic and then Death does not speak again until the end of the book. Exploring Death's magic would have been a great way to tie the world into Ruying's story while also exploring why Death chose Ruying to give his gift. Again I felt like there was a lot of lost potential here, which makes me disappointed.
That being said, the last chapter did change a lot of things for me and I am hopeful for the next book and the next chapter of Ruying's story. I hope that the romance gets left behind and the world and magic become more prominent as this series continues. Molly X. Chang has the potential to be an incredible YA fantasy author with this series and I hope that the lost potential from the first book is explored in the later ones.
Thank you to Netgalley and Molly X. Chang for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The first thing I want to mention is that this is a colonizer x colonized romance. While I am all for enemies-to-lovers, this was a Stockholm Syndrome dark romance disguised as YA enemies-to-lovers and it was frankly just abusive. There was no equal footing between Ruying and her love interest so instead of an enemies-to-lovers plot it turned into pages of watching a woman get tortured and brainwashed by her abuser. It made me think that this was trying to be a dark romance book for a younger audience and that really rubbed me the wrong way.
The romance itself was also extremely underdeveloped and it made me think that it wasn't even in the original draft of the book. To be honest, I think I would have loved this book so much more had the romance not been in there at all (and as a romantasy girlie that shocked me).
The worldbuilding also suffered because the romance took precedence, leading to multiple pages of lore dumping that interrupted the pacing of the book entirely. The world itself was fascinating and I did love the sci-fi elements, but I began losing interest when the book focused more on telling me how the world works rather than showing me how the world worked.
The writing itself was very choppy and repetitive (especially at the beginning) and it felt like there was no trust put in the reader to follow along with the world Molly X. Chang built. However, several later chapters felt extremely well-written and had beautiful prose and I am just sad that it did not carry throughout the rest of the book. Again it felt like Molly X. Chang was forced to put more explanations into a wonderful world of resistance, and I hope that she was not forced by the publisher to dilute her original story.
Then there is the main cause of my disappointment, the execution of the magic itself. The magic of the Xianlings is the coolest part of this book. The Qi and folklore explaining how magic works were fascinating and the death magic Ruying holds was why this book was my most anticipated read of the year! However, the moments when Ruying learned to wield her magic were skipped over in a time jump. There was also so much promise at the beginning where Death speaks directly to Ruying multiple times while she wields her magic and then Death does not speak again until the end of the book. Exploring Death's magic would have been a great way to tie the world into Ruying's story while also exploring why Death chose Ruying to give his gift. Again I felt like there was a lot of lost potential here, which makes me disappointed.
That being said, the last chapter did change a lot of things for me and I am hopeful for the next book and the next chapter of Ruying's story. I hope that the romance gets left behind and the world and magic become more prominent as this series continues. Molly X. Chang has the potential to be an incredible YA fantasy author with this series and I hope that the lost potential from the first book is explored in the later ones.
Thank you to Netgalley and Molly X. Chang for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, and War
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
I have never wanted to jump into a world more than the world Jordan Ifuefo built!
Raybearer follows Tarisai, a young woman who was commanded by her mother, The Lady, to kill the crown prince after she falls in love with him. This impossible situation causes Tarisai to fight for the right to control her own story and find a family that will support her along the way.
First things first, the world of the Arit Empire is so incredibly rich and well-thought-of. Ifueko based a lot of her world on West African folklore which was incredible on its own, but then added the diverse political landscape of the Empire which added so much to Tarisai’s story and arc. Tarisai at her core is just and will always want to do what is fair and what is right, but she lives in a world that challenges that notion and makes her fight for who she is.
This story at its heart is a story of self-determination and self-discovery. Tarisai has to fight to reclaim her name, her life, and her story, but she doesn’t have to do that alone. The found family that she gains through this story is incredible! Ifueko explores familial, romantic, and platonic love through the members of this found family; it is so beautifully done.
The only reason I am not rating this five stars was because there were some moments where the pacing felt a bit off to me, but it was not enough to hurt my enjoyment of reading Tarisai’s story. I cannot wait to read the second book and explore more of this incredible world!
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I think I just found a new favorite fantasy book and I couldn’t be more excited!
Legendborn follows Bree Matthews who goes to UNC following her mother’s death. Everything seems normal until she can see students fighting demons no one else can see and it seems these students may be involved in her mother’s death.
Wow wow wow, this book was everything I wanted it to be and more! The magic system and world-building are perfect. It is so hard to write a magic system that doesn’t take away from character development and the plot but Tracy Deonn does it perfectly! Every piece of world-building adds to Bree’s story and arc while still building a fascinating world of magic.
The depiction of grief was perfect and you can tell that Deonn was someone who experienced exactly what Bree experienced in this book. I have never read a book that captured the raw and unfiltered emotions that come from losing someone so close to you and I am so happy to have a book that captured those feelings so beautifully.
Now as someone from the Carolina’s you know I have to talk about the setting and, oh my word, does this capture southern living perfectly. Oftentimes you either get a highly romanticized depiction of the South or you get the “all southerns are dumb” depiction and I am so glad that wasn’t the case with Legendborn! I have never read a book that felt exactly like home with the good, bad, and the ugly represented.
All in all, this is one of my new favorite fantasy books and I cannot wait to dive into Bloodmarked soon!
Legendborn follows Bree Matthews who goes to UNC following her mother’s death. Everything seems normal until she can see students fighting demons no one else can see and it seems these students may be involved in her mother’s death.
Wow wow wow, this book was everything I wanted it to be and more! The magic system and world-building are perfect. It is so hard to write a magic system that doesn’t take away from character development and the plot but Tracy Deonn does it perfectly! Every piece of world-building adds to Bree’s story and arc while still building a fascinating world of magic.
The depiction of grief was perfect and you can tell that Deonn was someone who experienced exactly what Bree experienced in this book. I have never read a book that captured the raw and unfiltered emotions that come from losing someone so close to you and I am so happy to have a book that captured those feelings so beautifully.
Now as someone from the Carolina’s you know I have to talk about the setting and, oh my word, does this capture southern living perfectly. Oftentimes you either get a highly romanticized depiction of the South or you get the “all southerns are dumb” depiction and I am so glad that wasn’t the case with Legendborn! I have never read a book that felt exactly like home with the good, bad, and the ugly represented.
All in all, this is one of my new favorite fantasy books and I cannot wait to dive into Bloodmarked soon!
Rifqa by Mohammed El-Kurd
dark
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
“What do you say to the children for whom the Red sea won't part?”
An incredible poetry collection that speaks of Palestinian resistance, Rifqa was phenomenal. The collection is named for the author's grandmother who always fought for her home against oppressors.
I was not prepared for this collection, but I am so glad that I read it. Kurd did a phenomenal job of showing the anger, confusion, and power of the Palestinian people through his poems. My absolute favorite was "No Moses in Seige" where Kurd describes a group of boys who got attacked while playing soccer. It's heartbreaking, but it stirs a call to action.
This collection shows exactly why creating poetry and art during painful human moments is crucial.
I highly recommend checking out this poetry reading by Mohammed El-Kurd because poetry is meant to be read out loud and it adds so much to an already incredibly written collection:
https://youtu.be/uGfGHZYOdvg?si=stmN9g_IjlVWVKkC
An incredible poetry collection that speaks of Palestinian resistance, Rifqa was phenomenal. The collection is named for the author's grandmother who always fought for her home against oppressors.
I was not prepared for this collection, but I am so glad that I read it. Kurd did a phenomenal job of showing the anger, confusion, and power of the Palestinian people through his poems. My absolute favorite was "No Moses in Seige" where Kurd describes a group of boys who got attacked while playing soccer. It's heartbreaking, but it stirs a call to action.
This collection shows exactly why creating poetry and art during painful human moments is crucial.
I highly recommend checking out this poetry reading by Mohammed El-Kurd because poetry is meant to be read out loud and it adds so much to an already incredibly written collection:
https://youtu.be/uGfGHZYOdvg?si=stmN9g_IjlVWVKkC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Genocide
Minor Detail by Adania Shibli
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
5.0
This is one of the most important books you will ever read.
Let me say that again, this is one of the most important books you will ever read!
Minor Detail explores the realities of being Palestinian during IDF military occupation. The fear, the constant overthinking, and the reminders of loss. The story follows a young Palestinian woman as she sets out to discover the truth of an article she read regarding a similar Palestinian woman. While reading about this journey, the cyclical nature of history (especially regarding this particular occupation and violence) becomes very clear.
The writing of this book was phenomenal and it did an excellent job showing the shifting landscapes of Palestine. Villages become unused parks, and walls and military checkpoints are constructed in between families.
This book incites action and I, again, believe everyone needs to read this book.
Let me say that again, this is one of the most important books you will ever read!
Minor Detail explores the realities of being Palestinian during IDF military occupation. The fear, the constant overthinking, and the reminders of loss. The story follows a young Palestinian woman as she sets out to discover the truth of an article she read regarding a similar Palestinian woman. While reading about this journey, the cyclical nature of history (especially regarding this particular occupation and violence) becomes very clear.
The writing of this book was phenomenal and it did an excellent job showing the shifting landscapes of Palestine. Villages become unused parks, and walls and military checkpoints are constructed in between families.
This book incites action and I, again, believe everyone needs to read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, and Violence
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.5
Happy publication day to the Tainted Cup!
In this fantastical world, you follow Din, the assistant to Investigator Ana, as they unravel the mysteries of the Empire’s inner workings following a series of unusual murders. I never knew I needed a fantasy version of Sherlock Holmes, but I am so glad that it exists!
The world of the Tainted Cup feels like a mesh between Pacific Rim, Attack on Titan, and the Ghibli world of Nassicca. Bennett did a fantastic job creating a world that felt lived in and real while not making it overwhelming for the reader. There is not a single moment when I thought the world-building was getting in the way of the story, which can be hard to find in a lot of fantasy books.
I adored Din and Ana’s relationship throughout the story. The quirky investigator and her assistant have my whole heart and truly it’s their relationship and interactions that made this book fantastic! The mystery itself was captivating. Bennett writes in a way that allows the reader to fully participate in the investigation as well. Each revelation feels earned and makes the overall mystery so much more engaging than most. Get ready for a lot of twists and turns as friends become enemies and foes become friends.
I also love that this book is self-contained. There is no need to wait for the next book to finish the story and it was amazing to not feel trapped into reading a massive fantasy series. That being said I cannot wait to see more of Din and Ana's future adventures and more of this fantastical world.
This book is perfect for any fantasy lover and it lived up to the hype as my most anticipated read of the year!
Thank you so much to Robert Jackson Bennett and Netgalley for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this fantastical world, you follow Din, the assistant to Investigator Ana, as they unravel the mysteries of the Empire’s inner workings following a series of unusual murders. I never knew I needed a fantasy version of Sherlock Holmes, but I am so glad that it exists!
The world of the Tainted Cup feels like a mesh between Pacific Rim, Attack on Titan, and the Ghibli world of Nassicca. Bennett did a fantastic job creating a world that felt lived in and real while not making it overwhelming for the reader. There is not a single moment when I thought the world-building was getting in the way of the story, which can be hard to find in a lot of fantasy books.
I adored Din and Ana’s relationship throughout the story. The quirky investigator and her assistant have my whole heart and truly it’s their relationship and interactions that made this book fantastic! The mystery itself was captivating. Bennett writes in a way that allows the reader to fully participate in the investigation as well. Each revelation feels earned and makes the overall mystery so much more engaging than most. Get ready for a lot of twists and turns as friends become enemies and foes become friends.
I also love that this book is self-contained. There is no need to wait for the next book to finish the story and it was amazing to not feel trapped into reading a massive fantasy series. That being said I cannot wait to see more of Din and Ana's future adventures and more of this fantastical world.
This book is perfect for any fantasy lover and it lived up to the hype as my most anticipated read of the year!
Thank you so much to Robert Jackson Bennett and Netgalley for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Soft Science by Franny Choi
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
This is the queer/cyborg poetry collection of your dreams.
I have not read a lot of poetry collections since graduating, but this one got me back into my poetry phase. A Turing Test becoming poetry was something I was not expecting to read, but I am so glad that I did!
The exploration of the similarities between cyborgs and those who are queer is fascinating, to say the least. There is always the idea that you have to constantly prove yourself as being "human enough" for the people around you (particularly straight-cis folks). I also connected to this line of thought as a bi woman. There is the idea of never being good enough for your peers (or never being gay/straight enough) that I was reminded of upon reading this collection.
If you want to get into poetry and haven't yet? This is the collection for you.
Did you love Detroit: Become Human? This is the collection for you.
Are you a big sci-fi reader and want to see the genre in a new form? This is the collection for you.