rambles's reviews
52 reviews

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

3.75

Some stories were misses but most of them were great. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Violence, Vomit, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Rape

The cannibalism is in the last story of the book and it is very descriptive.

Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson

adventurous dark emotional funny medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

If you’re wanting something like the Song of Achilles or Circe, this is not the book for you. It’s a dark comedy of a book that makes Herc feel human even if he wasn’t wholy human. The language is modern because it’s for a modern audience to look at and go “Oh yeah like my messed up uncle. “ I really enjoyed it. The timeline of Herc’s life gets a little messy as the POVs of different people can make it confusing and too many people had ‘I’ names but that’s just Greek Myth for you. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Hellaween by Moss Lawton

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Blood

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Homophobia, Incest, Rape, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Colonisation, and Classism

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Reflection by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

The best twisted tales so far. It has familiar characters you love in a unique story. It also teaches you a thing or two about Chinese mythology.

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

adventurous dark fast-paced

3.5

The beginning of the book is just a rehash of the movie which makes sense you have to get to the Cave of Wonders part. It goes deeper into the character’s minds  so it’s alright.  The middle is where this story shines. It’s well researched and I felt immersed in the world. Jasmine and Aladdin have so much more character in this. It’s dark and thrilling. The ending in my opinion was disappointing. It was building up to something cool but the ending in the movie is much more clever and satisfying. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture

Moderate: Blood and Murder

So I don’t know how to put this but the

scene where Jafar takes apart the carpet would be so much more graphic in this novel would no longer be Waihee if it was a human, and that was the part of the book that disturbed me the most.

The Enchanted Hacienda by J.C. Cervantes

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Moderate: Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Racism, and Rape