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moonyreadsbystarlight's reviews
610 reviews
Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza by Mosab Abu Toha
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
5.0
This was an incredible collection. Like all good poetry, it bring you right at the heart of the emotion which makes this collection particularly devistating. The author shows snippets of his story growing up in Gaza under the terror of occupation as well as those of his family and community. The writing itself was beautiful and the style and inspiration varied. For instance, some poems alluded to other authors and their works, while others included photography.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones
emotional
reflective
5.0
This was amazing and beautifully written. This begins looking at the author's childhood and his experience as a gay Black boy in the south. It focuses not just on his understanding of sexuality, but how that impacts many relationships in his life. The middle goes into his time in college, more fraught in understanding how he relates to himself. Throughout the whole book, he has mentioned his mother, but the last section hones in on this relationship at the end of her life.
I can't begin to really talk about how impactful various parts of this were for me. Suffice it to say, this was incredible and moving.
I can't begin to really talk about how impactful various parts of this were for me. Suffice it to say, this was incredible and moving.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Cancer
Deprog #1 by Lisa Sterle, Tina Horn
dark
mysterious
tense
4.0
Rating individual issues is hard because they're so short. But, I know I really liked the art and I'm hooked - definitely ready to read the next issue
I was sent an ARC by the publisher for an honest review.
I was sent an ARC by the publisher for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cannibalism, Alcohol
Cult violence and control
Girl Haven by Lilah Sturges
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Parts of this I really liked, other parts I had mixed feelings about. It had a neat adventure in a portal fantasy and I like how it approached the MC's gender and gender journey. I also liked some of the side characters.
However, I wasn't too sure about parts of the story including the resolution. it's not super surprising that a middle grade would choose to go in the direction of loving someone instead of fighting. Could have been more nuance to that end of things or explanation, but it is a short volume. While I get where it was going with the boys in this, I don't think parts were clear enough, so I get why some people may be confused about parts of the messaging. It tried to spin it as the boys weren't all bad, but it wasn't super clear on that and we didnt get a strong resolution around it. I am also curious to see how Black readers responded to this. I found it weird that the only Black character in the book was characterized as angry/grumpy, while the others in the friend group had very friendly dispositions.
I really wanted to like it more. Parts of it were really endearing, but it had its issues and was a bit rushed.
However, I wasn't too sure about parts of the story including the resolution.
I really wanted to like it more. Parts of it were really endearing, but it had its issues and was a bit rushed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Abandonment, War
Moderate: Sexism, Transphobia
Belle of the Ball by Mari Costa
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Super fun and a bit cheesy but I loved it! The dedication definitely set the tone well ("To all the gays who were obsessed with High School Musical in middle school")
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
Brooms by Jasmine Walls
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I liked this overall. I really liked the story building and attention to detail blending fantasy and history. I also liked some of the dynamics within the friend group. I do think that there are a couple characters that I would have liked to see more about that didnt feel as fleshed out as the others. In general, I think the story may have been better if they had been able to make it longer and pace it differently. However, it was still a good story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia
Moderate: Transphobia, Violence
Discussion of residential schools and violence around that
The Collected Schizophrenias by Esmé Weijun Wang
informative
reflective
4.5
This was an excellent essay collection about the author's experience of schizoaffective and bipolar disorders. She talks about her experience of it, parts of the process getting diagnoses, dealing with ableism in various contexts, spirituality, media, and more. Not only does it show the mind of the author in some ways, it says a lot about how people with these less socially acceptable symptoms and disorders are treated.
The only real drawback of this was some of the discussion around autism in one of the essays. It felt very dated and I'm not sure how to feel about some of the discussion around functioning labels. So that is why I didn't give it a full 5 stars. The rest of the collection was really solid and very interesting.
The only real drawback of this was some of the discussion around autism in one of the essays. It felt very dated and I'm not sure how to feel about some of the discussion around functioning labels. So that is why I didn't give it a full 5 stars. The rest of the collection was really solid and very interesting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Rape, Suicide
Queer Voices From The Fight For Palestinian Liberation by Yazan Zahzah, June Jordan, zaheer Suboh, Kyle Carrero Lopez
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Homophobia, Colonisation
Love Is an Ex-Country by Randa Jarrar
emotional
reflective
4.25
This memoir covers many parts of the author's life, going from moments during her travel, to her childhood, to her relationships as an adult. She weaves them together, discussing pain and violence from these different parts of her life, but also pleasure and healing.
She speaks candidly about racism and fatphobia that she experiences from stragers, but also violence from her parents as a child and partners as an adult. The violence of a homeland she can no longer visit and of a home that was too hostile to return to. She also speaks of the relationships and small interactions that have facilitated he healing, from the kindness of strangers to reconciliation, to entering the world of kink.
This was well-written and engaging. I listened to the audiobook over the course of just a couple of days.
She speaks candidly about racism and fatphobia that she experiences from stragers, but also violence from her parents as a child and partners as an adult. The violence of a homeland she can no longer visit and of a home that was too hostile to return to. She also speaks of the relationships and small interactions that have facilitated he healing, from the kindness of strangers to reconciliation, to entering the world of kink.
This was well-written and engaging. I listened to the audiobook over the course of just a couple of days.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Abortion
Explicit discussion of kink and BDSM
This Is What Lesbian Looks Like: Dyke Activists Take on the 21st Century by
informative
inspiring
5.0
I picked this up because of the small handfull of names I recognized, but the vast majority of this ended up being amazing. This was such an incredible collection of essays from a diverse array if lesbians. Of course this talks about what it means to be a lesbian and be an activist as a lesbian, it goes far beyond that, talking about race, disability, immigration, age, capitalism, colonialism, and more. While this was published in 1999, it remains relevant. So many issues discussed today were being discussed here -- and with so much more nuance than it often is. It is definitely one that needs to continue to be read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Transphobia, Xenophobia
Moderate: Cancer, War
Most of the sexism, misogyny, racism, etc are because those are the topics covered in this volume. There is some language or phrasing that is outdated or would be awkward by today's standards, but that is to be expected reading something published over 20 years ago.