naimereadslines's reviews
29 reviews

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

I really enjoyed this read. It felt cohesive and well-paced enough that I could see the pieces melding together as I you moved through it and I was with Jay the whole way. Worried bout him, pissed at the boy, proud, disappointed, annoyed (etc. etc). He just felt really human and that was heavily focused on throughout the narrative. Family’s always complicated and often expose parts of us that we either don’t want to catch light or straight up forget were in the shadows so seeing Jay go on that emotional rollercoaster resonated with me so much. I thought the conversation with Tito Danilo felt rushed, but other than that I fully rec reading this. It had me boohooing by the end for sure. 

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

Just for the Cameras by Viano Oniomoh
Did not finish book.

I loved the characters, the sex scenes were spicy (voyeurism is my bag), but I couldn't get through because of the writing style.

Skin Thief: Stories by Suzan Palumbo

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

Review to come!

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

The Roommate Risk by Talia Hibbert

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

 The world-building in this narrative was phenomenal. It’s a mix of fantasy and sci-fi with a combination of ancestral magic and a rich history revamped by futuristic elements. Clark uses style and language in a way that makes complexity so very consumable to the everyday reader, which I’m thankful for. I dove in without hesitation and wanted to stay there for as long as I could. 

 

The characters hold the same weight as the world crafted for them. Clark brings them to life with diverse backgrounds, identities, and goals without the forced emphasis on diversity that can often ruin the intention of the author. Captain Ann-Marie is a disabled queer smuggler from Trinidad who commands a room in a way only she can. This isn’t made into a spectacle. It simply is her experience neatly weaved into how she moves through the story and her interactions with others. For dialogue and language, Clark made use of several dialects from the South and the West Indies. The audiobook, narrated by Channie Waites, better demonstrates how dedicated Clark was on the page to make the reader hear exactly what he wanted us to hear. 

 

I fully recommend this mini-novel to anyone looking for a fast read that’s just as engaging and funny as it is emotional and reflective. I’ll definitely be reading more of P. Djèlí Clark’s works while I patiently wait for his announcement of a full-length novel...may be wishful thinking but we move-

Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0