modernmatilda's reviews
94 reviews

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book has my entire heart. On my list of books to recommend to everyone. Our book discussion group had an incredible discussion. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Racial slurs, Outing, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Transphobia, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Sexual harassment

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

adventurous emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

4.0

Please note the content warning below. 

This is a wonderful, fast paced audiobook (4 hours) that I listened to while crocheting. The characters were precious, the hopeful ending made me happy, and it's an easy recommendation for anyone looking to dip into scifi.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mass/school shootings

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

challenging dark mysterious sad tense 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? No

5.0

CHECK YA CONTENT WARNINGS

My sister in law has been trying to convince me to read this book for ages. I finally caved when she invited me to her book club where we'd be reading this book for the first meeting. 

I am FLOORED. This book is a fantastic ride that kept me in a chokehold the last three HOURS of the audiobook. It has a FIERCE female protagonist, the most vial and disgusting villains, a thrilling ending, and the kind of nature-body-horror shiz I love. 

I wouldn't blanket recommend this to everyone because of the content warnings, but I would recommend this to anyone looking for a gothic thrilling horror with a great edge of your seat reading experience. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Incest, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, Child abuse, Blood, Child death, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Torture, Suicide, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Rape, Racism, Violence, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Death, Cannibalism, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Body horror

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Was the twist worth it? Mostly. Was it a little slow and repetitive? A little. But was it still a solid ride? Yes. 

More Mexican Gothic, less House of Hollow. Probably predictable for other readers, but I like being caught up in the ride. Had GORGEOUS lyrical writing and some lines I underlined in pen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Rape, Physical abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Child death, Infidelity, and Child abuse

Ziggy, Stardust and Me by James Brandon

challenging emotional inspiring sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

Wow, this book. I picked it up on a whim after seeing it on Novel Neighbors bookstagram page. Read the first four pages in the store and couldn't leave without it. 

It took me a minute to get past the over use of 60s slang, but when I got into the emotional scenes with Web and Johnathan, I wouldn't escape the book's pull. I just wanted Web and Johnathan to be happy!!! 

This book made me cry, a lot. I felt big emotions while reading it. There were also scenes that felt just like a David Bowie song. 

I really, really loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Alcoholism, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Alcohol, Child abuse, Colonisation, Death of parent, Drug use, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Violence

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

I am so happy books like these exist in the world; books full of hope and triump and honestly, kids putting rude adults in their place. The nonbinary, queer reb is off the charts and I loved that Callie was flawed too. I would have liked more sword fighting and dragons and less speeches, but I think that is maybe to come in other books. As another reviewer said "be prepared to spend the entire book mad at abusive men"

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Transphobia, Child abuse, Misogyny, Homophobia, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Sexism

Nothing Sung and Nothing Spoken by Nita Tyndall
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.

It is really hard to care about the characters in this book when they are spoiled, unsympathetic German girls who whine about not being able to go clubbing when their childhood best friends and thousands of others are being taken, killed, and tortured via the Holocaust. DNF.

Tracker220 by Jamie Krakover

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

3.0

This is a solid read and I'm excited to chat about it with book club. It's a classic dystopia feel book with a love triangle, chosen-one girl, but adds in some Jewish representation which was nice. The heist ending scenes kept me reading and it was a enjoyable read 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Death, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, and Gun violence

Death of sibling/child

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft

adventurous hopeful lighthearted tense slow-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

5.0

Reasons to read this book:

Rapunzel and Flynn Rider romance vibes
Cottagecore vibes for days
Soft fantasy
Audiobook Weston Winters has a Newies-boy accent and my entire heart

An absolutely LOVELY read that I wish I could spent eternity in. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Child abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death, Bullying, Animal death, Hate crime, Violence, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Racial slurs, and Alcohol

Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

It was queer, it had emotional damage, and it was a new to me genre that I loved (noir)!

However, there is a giant plot point and a scene at an "asylum". The book is set in the 1930s and there is pushback conversations from the characters on topics of queer people and conversion therapy and wives not needing permission from husbands to do things. BUT it still doesn't sit right with me that it was a plot point at all. I don't know. 

Overall, I had fun riding the ride of this book and could recommend it, but I'd like to hear more about the topic above from the author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Grief, Death, Blood, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Car accident and Death of parent