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poenaestante's reviews
478 reviews
Coming Back by Jessi Zabarsky
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Super quick read with not a lot of text. Some of the details were hard to follow but you get the general idea.
A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book should be called Tales of A 19th Century Russian F*ckboi. It's nearly as relevant today as then. It may be just because I'm currently watching Our Flag Means Death, but I could totally see Taika Waititi adapting this. This sort of thing also brings to mind Yorgos Lanthimos.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Misogyny, Infidelity, Death, Racism, and Gun violence
Apocalypse Taco by Nathan Hale
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
This book was fun but not great.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Emotional abuse, and Animal cruelty
This Boy We Made: A Memoir of Motherhood, Genetics, and Facing the Unknown by Taylor Harris
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
This book initially drew me in with the little boy's medical mystery and I sorta glossed over the mom's issues. However, eventually the mom endeared herself to me. I did find it annoying how moony she was over her husband, but I'll forgive it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Nelson's writing is razor sharp and touching. I've never read a book like this before. Just terrific!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent and Medical content
Maame by Jessica George
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
This book tore me to pieces. It was like looking at a younger version of myself. So much in common. Really a beautiful (if occasionally trite) read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
Misfits: A Personal Manifesto by Michaela Coel
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
I love this woman so much but the book felt like...rehash? Not great.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Classism, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault
The First Bad Man by Miranda July
dark
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was weird but a total page-turner!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Incest, and Sexual content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Abandonment, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Classism and Infidelity
Luster by Raven Leilani
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The book hooked me in from the very first page. I had no clue what this book was about when I picked it up from ny neighbor's community library box, and I'm rarely a fiction reader but I do have time for black authors. This book was so novel and arresting that I can't wait to see what the author does next
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Police brutality
Queer: A Graphic History by Meg-John Barker
funny
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Super informative book. I read a digital copy from the library but I just bought a physical copy to keep as a reference. Queer is such a dense topic but this book did an AMAZING job of explaining it, unpacking many of the ideas, and then queering everything! I learned so much and gained a lot of information that will undoubtedly be useful as more and more conversations arise around what queerness is and why it matters!
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content