moonytoast's reviews
272 reviews

Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

3.75

Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth by Natalie Haynes

funny informative medium-paced

4.25

 Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for providing me with a digital ARC of this book! 

In a time where retellings and reimaginings of Greek mythology are at the height of their cultural relevance—see the current adaptation of Percy Jackson & the Olympians and the continued success of Hadestown on Broadway—Natalie Haynes never fails to breathe some fresh air and new ideas into the public conversation around these myths. This is true of her previous works and of Divine Might, which delves into the goddesses at the heart of many Greek myths... and some who, despite their lack of narrative importance in such stories as the Titanomachy, still held an almost omnipresent space in ancient Greek culture. 

Haynes does not just focus on the past importance of these goddesses to ancient Greeks and Romans, though she does excellently examine their roles throughout various poems and epics and their role in the lives of ancient Greeks. She also looks at the way the modern world and media landscape continues engage with these myths and divine figures, our current ideas and values shaping our own perceptions of these goddesses and their stories. (The chapter about Artemis features a brief but delighted mention about the character of Katniss Everdeen.) 

The standout chapters for me are on Hestia, Demeter, and Athene, with an honorable mention of The Furies, but every chapter is well written and infused with Haynes' pension for dry humor, candor, and nuanced love for these myths. I always come out of Haynes' works with new eyes for the iconic stories from Greek mythology. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, War

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Grief

Baby Dragon, Baby Dragon! by Melissa Marr, Lena Podesta

lighthearted

3.25

 read this to gauge whether it would be a good addition to my list of books to highlight during our library’s summer reading program this year, safe to say i think this will be a cute book to share with our younger patrons about adventure and unlikely friendship 

Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Islamophobia, Dysphoria

Minor: Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Deportation

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Did not finish book. Stopped at 22%.

This is reminding me a bit too much of my experience reading A Little Friend by Donna Tartt, but without the well-built intrigue—too many characters, too slow in introducing the crux of the plot, and a lack of care I felt as a reader for some of these points of view. If this was only restricted to the POVs of Tova and Marcellus, the Pacific octopus, I think it would be a much tighter story and feel less busy and unfocused. 

I could theoretically push myself through the rest of this book until an actual plot develops, but I’m trying to be better about giving myself the space to DNF books. 

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.75

A brilliant modern edition to the genre of Southern gothic, Starling House is perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab’s Gallant.  ***RTC

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Vomit, Alcohol

Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Bullying, Death

Minor: Car accident

Liberated: The Radical Art and Life of Claude Cahun by Kaz Rowe

informative inspiring fast-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism

Minor: Confinement, War

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

this book has single-handedly altered my brain chemistry cause WHAT THE FUCKKKK this was so good!!!!! the story and world reid created have dug their way into my mind like worms into the soft earth, i feel like this book has possessed me fr 10000000000/10 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail