Take a photo of a barcode or cover
mitzee's reviews
354 reviews
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 18%.
I had to stop reading because I was reminded how challenging the text was. This was something I realized after finally
Making it through the first book, felt like I only paid attention to half of what was going on - which is probably why I didn’t leave a very detailed review of the first.
I need a better guide or system for remembering the characters. Just wasn’t in the right headspace for the high stress, constantly defensive storylines.
Making it through the first book, felt like I only paid attention to half of what was going on - which is probably why I didn’t leave a very detailed review of the first.
I need a better guide or system for remembering the characters. Just wasn’t in the right headspace for the high stress, constantly defensive storylines.
Allies: Real Talk About Showing Up, Screwing Up, And Trying Again by Shakirah Bourne, Dana Alison Levy
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
This series of essays is a great starter of stories that help people understand the value of allyship, what it looks like to be an ally, what it looks like to fail to be a good ally.
While I understand it’s intended to be fitting for YA audiences also, I give it a 5 because it doesn’t hit hard enough for me. The tone is generally softer and I think that’s great to not make people feel alienated from the concept of becoming an ally, but I wanted it to be more explicit in criticism of what the systems of oppression.
While I understand it’s intended to be fitting for YA audiences also, I give it a 5 because it doesn’t hit hard enough for me. The tone is generally softer and I think that’s great to not make people feel alienated from the concept of becoming an ally, but I wanted it to be more explicit in criticism of what the systems of oppression.
He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters by Schuyler Bailar
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
A great starting point for cis folks to educate themselves. Bailar goes over basic concepts about being gender identity, sexual identity, facts about gender identity in childhood and development (using stats and research conducted by medical professionals-not himself). Also covers baseline etiquette that cis people may not think about when trying to talk to trans people about their gender identity or transness.
Also touches a bit on intersectionality since Bailar is also Korean American.
Also touches a bit on intersectionality since Bailar is also Korean American.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It’s overall sad, or gives me very emo vibes at least (like early 20s, in my feelings and loving it kind of vibes), and I loved it.
Story summary for myself
Sadie and Sam grow up together in their youth and seem to separate around high school/early college - for 6 years. They come back together as young adults and begin to make games together. Both of them are a little bit shit, broken in some ways. Then there’s Marks who is the best of them but also Sam calls him boring/an NPC. He loves them both but ends up having a baby with Sadie. The chapter (or chapters?) in which Marks is shot is told from his PoV when Sam and Sadie are out doing press tour for their new game. I don’t know how Marks knew what to do and how to stay calm in that type of situation. Until that point I was definitely ambivalent about him as a character but after that I really felt like he was the glue that held everything together without anyone even realizing it. Is that the kind of person I want to be?
Story summary for myself
Sadie and Sam grow up together in their youth and seem to separate around high school/early college - for 6 years. They come back together as young adults and begin to make games together. Both of them are a little bit shit, broken in some ways. Then there’s Marks who is the best of them but also Sam calls him boring/an NPC. He loves them both but ends up having a baby with Sadie. The chapter (or chapters?) in which Marks is shot is told from his PoV when Sam and Sadie are out doing press tour for their new game. I don’t know how Marks knew what to do and how to stay calm in that type of situation. Until that point I was definitely ambivalent about him as a character but after that I really felt like he was the glue that held everything together without anyone even realizing it. Is that the kind of person I want to be?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Sexual violence
The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
A very hard read because the first 3/4 of the book really drags, there’s a lot of distrust, loneliness, racism (in an way) and abuse with very little humor or joy to accompany. There also is a lot of set up that I don’t think is needed for the story later on. I listened to the audiobook and definitely zoned out a lot until the last 25% in which interesting things started to happen.
It’s a shame because the magic and lore provides great opportunities for something really engaging.
It’s a shame because the magic and lore provides great opportunities for something really engaging.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Violence
Shanghai Immortal by A.Y. Chao
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this! As an Asian American I am always looking for Eastern inspired fantasy novels like this. It draws on a lot of the beliefs, lore, and superstitions that I grew up hearing about from my parents and seeing in Chinese movies. It was light and fun but with a dash of danger and darkness.
Summary for myself:
The story is about Jing who seems like she might be half vampire and half fox spirit? She lives in hell and is “owned” by Big Wang - who doesn’t treat her poorly, actually he does treat her as a daughter. She believes that her mother sold her to Big Wang for some jewel (pearl or diamond) and is generally a sour little tomboy in the beginning.
Wang tasks her with taking care of some mortal dude, Mr Lee, who came down to Hell. I think he is trying to serve Wang in exchange for his sister’s soul to not be committed to a life in servitude in Hell. They go up to the mortal realm and some shenanigans happen in 1920s Shanghai with them and someone that Jing knows, a Celestial named Gigi, and some kind of mission.
People are following Jing and when they finally apprehend her it sounds like it’s because of her grandmother who seems to have always hated her. Or maybe some other evil demon thing in Hell. She has status and power and wants the pearl that she thinks Lady Jing has. She doesn’t.
Towards the end it’s almost curtains for Jing but she is visited by a dragon of the lake and he bewstows the jade upon her. In the last chapter everything seems to go right. She learns she was not sold by her mother. Big Wang was always fond of her. She hold special powers because the pearl was gifted or bestowed upon her and everything is right in the world. 🤷🏻♀️
There’s also an Author’s note at the end that makes a nod to Joy Luck Club and Mulan.
Summary for myself:
The story is about Jing who seems like she might be half vampire and half fox spirit? She lives in hell and is “owned” by Big Wang - who doesn’t treat her poorly, actually he does treat her as a daughter. She believes that her mother sold her to Big Wang for some jewel (pearl or diamond) and is generally a sour little tomboy in the beginning.
Wang tasks her with taking care of some mortal dude, Mr Lee, who came down to Hell. I think he is trying to serve Wang in exchange for his sister’s soul to not be committed to a life in servitude in Hell. They go up to the mortal realm and some shenanigans happen in 1920s Shanghai with them and someone that Jing knows, a Celestial named Gigi, and some kind of mission.
People are following Jing and when they finally apprehend her it sounds like it’s because of her grandmother who seems to have always hated her. Or maybe some other evil demon thing in Hell. She has status and power and wants the pearl that she thinks Lady Jing has. She doesn’t.
Towards the end it’s almost curtains for Jing but she is visited by a dragon of the lake and he bewstows the jade upon her. In the last chapter everything seems to go right. She learns she was not sold by her mother. Big Wang was always fond of her. She hold special powers because the pearl was gifted or bestowed upon her and everything is right in the world. 🤷🏻♀️
There’s also an Author’s note at the end that makes a nod to Joy Luck Club and Mulan.
The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp by Leonie Swann
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This was mostly a book of self discovery under the guise of a murder mystery with multiple deaths. In some ways quite dark but also light hearted or maybe I just see it that way because the primary cast is a household of elders who live together to support each other, and that’s nice to hear about. Everyone has their quirks.
Summary for myself:
The story is told in third person but led by Agnes’ account of things. She seems like she used to be a detective or cop beaded on clues throughout the book about her “doing this kind of thing”. She seems to be mentally all there and still sharp (given that she tried to solve the murder mystery) until the end when it’s revealed that she might actually have hallucinations of her twin sister who died at a young age.
What I liked about the book is that it treated the house hold like they were (mostly) well functioning adults. The idea of Sunset Hall is pretty nice - you live together and essentially write down when you’d want someone to remove you from this world and how you’d want to go. But I also wonder how annoyed I would be with some people’s quirks once I get to that age. Would I be able to live with them? I guess it’s better than the alternative of living in a home.
Summary for myself:
What I liked about the book is that it treated the house hold like they were (mostly) well functioning adults. The idea of Sunset Hall is pretty nice - you live together and essentially write down when you’d want someone to remove you from this world and how you’d want to go. But I also wonder how annoyed I would be with some people’s quirks once I get to that age. Would I be able to live with them? I guess it’s better than the alternative of living in a home.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Murder
Minor: Toxic friendship
Lala by Jacek Dehnel
funny
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is a collection of amusing stories from someone’s grandmother who lived in Bialystok, Poland about her life and that of people she knew. I assume they are true but also they could be fictionalized some. A fun little read if you’re looking for something light.
The Karma of Success: Spiritual Strategies to Free Your Inner Genius by Liz Tran
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.75
I am always skeptical of someone who starts giving actual life advice by saying they had a life changing moment while soul searching in a foreign country (ever since Eat, Pray, Love) - if you’re the same I would recommend skipping the first 1/3 of the book because the rest of the book provides some exercises to help one figure out their own lives and some coping mechanisms with any unhappiness or dissatisfaction one might have in their own lives. While there are some good skills and tools to take away from this book, part of me wondered how much this book was mostly self serving for the author (to feel like they ticked something off on their bucket list).
It's Not You, It's Capitalism: Why It's Time to Break Up and How to Move On by Malaika Jabali
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
3.75
Very much an introduction to the concept of capitalism and socialism with current (2023ish) examples of what that looks like in today’s global environment. There was also some history, mostly US based, on how capitalism has negatively impacted the middle and lower classes as well as PoC by selling an ideal that makes people think capitalist concepts are in their best interests.
The author knows it’s entry level so she also provides some follow up resources to continue the education.
The author knows it’s entry level so she also provides some follow up resources to continue the education.