rootedreader's reviews
168 reviews

Black Girls Must Die Exhausted by Jayne Allen
Did not finish book.

Couldn't get into the story line. 

Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s by Sarah Ditum

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review. Going through the late 1990s to mid 2000s, Ditum uses high profile celebrity women to share the ways publicity, misogyny, and racism shaped how culture treated these women. A mix of darned if you do darned if you don't, she highlights the tightrope women have had to walk in the public sphere and the beginnings of this being to be examined. I was disappointed she only had one black woman (she briefly mentions the trouble of labeling someone as white in another chapter) and she also at times went of topic in later chapters. All in all a good read. 

A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay by Octavia E. Butler

hopeful reflective fast-paced

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review. Short and to the point, Butler gives the reader seemingly simple rules about predicting the future. Though short her words will stay with you- timeless, poignant, and thought provoking. 

Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook by Melissa Thompson

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Growing up in a Jamaican household, watching others cook and learning how to cook were main ways I was able to connect with the history of that side of my family. The recipes in this book are amazing and remind me of what I grew up with. The author shares a lot of history as well as resources for continued reading. 

Bright Cooking: Recipes for the Modern Palate by Camille Becerra

challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review. I love reading cookbooks, not just for the recipes but also for the stories of the author and how they came to write recipes and to cooking. I loved the writing, pictures, and how plant based it is. I don't often buy cookbooks because I have so many but this one will definitely be on the list when it comes out.

My Side of the River by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review. My Side of the River follows Elizabeth (and her family) as she navigates two worlds-being an American and being the child of immigrants. She writes in detail of the pressure she feels to be the best while feeling outside pressure that she isn't and never will be. Following her from a young age until young adulthood we see her struggle to become her own person without losing touch with where she comes from. 

I enjoyed this quite a bit, my only issue with the last couple of chapters not as in depth as the rest of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Deportation

Minor: Mental illness and Abandonment

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence and Death of parent

So This Is Love by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous medium-paced

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

3.0

While I’ve been enjoying the series (fairytale retellings) many of them including this one are too long/slow. 

I Sat Alone by the Gate by Mary Efendi

emotional hopeful inspiring sad slow-paced

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

4.0

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to review. This was a slow but steady beautifully written story. As I was reading this I could see the MC, her family, friends, and community as they struggled to make decisions in a new country. To find their footing, the longing for what was, and yet hopeful for what could be. I love stories like this and I'm glad I was able to read it, it will definitely stick with me for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Sexual assault and Xenophobia

This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

Not my typical read, my first from this author. I enjoyed reading both of the mc's journey as individuals and as parents. I didn't enjoy the sexual content or the repeated descriptions of their bodies throughout. That and some of the internal and external dialogue seemed forced. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Ableism and Racism