rocketships's reviews
12 reviews

Storytelling in Queer Appalachia: Imagining and Writing the Unspeakable Other by Rachael Ryerson, Sherrie Gradin, Hillery Glasby
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.

just focus issues!!! will probably pick it up again eventually

Stranger Things and Philosophy: Thus Spake the Demogorgon by
Did not finish book. Stopped at 25%.

 There didn’t appear to be any oversight in the making of the book, and it felt unedited. Essays brought up good points, but would also get major details incorrect like the protagonists names. The book also appeared to have a strange disdain for fandom, despite being a literal published book about a TV show — you are writing fan analysis the exact same way you would on a fanfiction website, having a PhD does not give you a high horse to speak to us from. 

Rebel Radio: The Story of El Salvador's Radio Venceremos by José Ignacio Lopez Vigil, Radio Venceremos

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

A gorgeous and heartwrenching book detailing the Salvadoran war. just like the real thing, the tone often switches from camaraderie to blood in seconds, but never hopelessness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Police brutality, Gun violence, Grief, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Genocide, and Colonisation

Moderate: Genocide, War, Murder, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Colonisation, Police brutality, Rape, and Excrement

The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why by Amanda Ripley

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative tense fast-paced

4.5

brilliant and fast paced! knocked half a point off because the author addresses the reader as if they are able bodied the whole way through; as usual, the rest of us are an afterthought. it’s still a brilliant and informative book, and i’m grateful for having read it. 

Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution: An Oral History by Walter Crasshole, Yony Leyser, Liam Warfield

dark informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT i don’t think i’ve ever felt so strongly about the end of a book in YEARS - the character development is flawless, the plot is flawless, THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END IS FLAWLESS - i could go on. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Genocide, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Stonewall by Martin Duberman

emotional funny informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

5.0

Incredibly informative, very intersectional, but easy to read, which is not a trait that a lot of historical books have. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Homophobia, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Infidelity, and Outing

Bigoted slurs abound!

Ash by Malinda Lo

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced

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

4.0

it was beautiful and it made me cry. however, i feel like there was a bit of hand waving towards the end of the story. 

that being said, if you ever want a lesbian cinderella story, this is the book for you. just don’t read the back blurb of the book, it’s very misleading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green

emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

this book broke my heart beautifully