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sara_m_martins's reviews
327 reviews
People Not Things: Love Poems and Paintings for Humanity by Genesis Be
medium-paced
People not Things is a Poetry (and art) collection from an activist in soul and life, Genesis Be. I really enjoyed seeing the media combination. The subject matter is often quite strong, with race, gender, sexuality, and other, crying out for a break in the (various) status quo.
The lyricism is very strong, although it took me a good while to figure out Be's voice: many of the pieces have a strong hip-hop cadence and rythm, which makes sense when I learned that the author has a recording artist background. For those reasons, I think this would be a great audiobook.
My favourite poem was by far Holding Paws, and I enjoyed the last quarter (Barrier of Love) the most.
Although I enjoyed reading this book, I think, in the end, it was not my style, which is why I am giving it 3*, but I strongly believe many other people will enjoy thoroughly.
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC. All thoughts are my own and freely given.
The lyricism is very strong, although it took me a good while to figure out Be's voice: many of the pieces have a strong hip-hop cadence and rythm, which makes sense when I learned that the author has a recording artist background. For those reasons, I think this would be a great audiobook.
My favourite poem was by far Holding Paws, and I enjoyed the last quarter (Barrier of Love) the most.
Although I enjoyed reading this book, I think, in the end, it was not my style, which is why I am giving it 3*, but I strongly believe many other people will enjoy thoroughly.
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the eARC. All thoughts are my own and freely given.
Brooms by Jasmine Walls
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Great graphic novel, with tons of representation, that deserves to be the Next Big Thing!
Brooms is a graphic novel about witches (magic people and they also race on brooms) set in 1930s Mississippi, with the background of discrimination of who gets to have their powers without restrictions. The plot follows our characters trying to navigate that world, with a focus on the illegal broom racing (à la Fast&Furious, of all pop culture references). To note that the story was inspired by underground queer communities of colour around the time period.
I loved the story and the characters, and the subject matter is really well-handled and brought to light! The final pages with tastes of epilogue really won me over. I loved seeing all the different types of representation, especially in terms of disability rep, that you don't see often, as well as the diverse background (the bits of native, non-translated text were such a nice touch in the characters' stories!).
Thanks to NetGalley and Levine Querido for the eARC. All thoughts are my own and freely given.
Brooms is a graphic novel about witches (magic people and they also race on brooms) set in 1930s Mississippi, with the background of discrimination of who gets to have their powers without restrictions. The plot follows our characters trying to navigate that world, with a focus on the illegal broom racing (à la Fast&Furious, of all pop culture references). To note that the story was inspired by underground queer communities of colour around the time period.
I loved the story and the characters, and the subject matter is really well-handled and brought to light! The final pages with tastes of epilogue really won me over. I loved seeing all the different types of representation, especially in terms of disability rep, that you don't see often, as well as the diverse background (the bits of native, non-translated text were such a nice touch in the characters' stories!).
Thanks to NetGalley and Levine Querido for the eARC. All thoughts are my own and freely given.
Pedro & Daniel by Federico Erebia
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
I kept forgetting this wasn't a memoir in the best way. I found the writing very evocative and the tone was similar to memoirs, and did not feel YA to me. The story simply felt incredibly believable and there various IRL moments were mentioned (like the AIDS quilt), plus it is very character focused.
We follow two brothers, of Mexican descent, through their abusive household growing up (there is a big CW for child abuse), and after when they start their own journeys. Most of the book takes place in their childhood and teenagehood while they figure themselves out - sexuality, religion, relationships to others and themselves, dreams and careers. Their adult lives are unfortunately marked by AIDS, which takes central stage in the later part of the book, and the very touching and heartbreaking portion of seeing people go away due to it. I found the pacing okay (the adult life portion went by much quicker, but also the brothers were together less often).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC. All thoughts are my own and the review is freely given.
We follow two brothers, of Mexican descent, through their abusive household growing up (there is a big CW for child abuse), and after when they start their own journeys. Most of the book takes place in their childhood and teenagehood while they figure themselves out - sexuality, religion, relationships to others and themselves, dreams and careers. Their adult lives are unfortunately marked by AIDS, which takes central stage in the later part of the book, and the very touching and heartbreaking portion of seeing people go away due to it. I found the pacing okay (the adult life portion went by much quicker, but also the brothers were together less often).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC. All thoughts are my own and the review is freely given.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Religious bigotry, Racism, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Sexual content
Racism, specifically colorism. Pedophilia in the context of abuse of minors by members of the catholic church.
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? No
5.0
god, i love a book that keeps me up until i finished the whole thing! AJW has done it again folks!!!
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This is one of those books that I love so much, that I find it hard to write a review that reflects the burning adoration I have for the work. Let's try though.
Truly a masterful follow-up to his debut, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth feels refreshing, while evoking all the same great (although not exactly pleasant) feelings - anger and connection chief among them - from Hell Followed With Us.If you read HFWU you need to read this one, and if you read TSBIT go read HFWU!! I have been anxiously waiting to read more from Andrew Joseph White and this did not disappoint one bit!
The writing and imagery continues to be exquisite and the plot feels like a galloping rabbit through the meadows of Victorian England. If you're looking for a book about the survival of intersectional identities in a world where anything but the norm is broken apart, about humans surviving despite the narrow-eyed views of the powerful, about bringing them down the best you can, this is for you.(plus, go read HFWU)
If you're hesitant over the content warnings and the gore, I don't think it was that bad, and I'm quite squirmish at times, unless specifically medical gore messes with you. but the discrimination CW are very much there and very much real - I said anger was central, it will be central in the reading experience too.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the PeachTree for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.
---
This is one of those books that I love so much, that I find it hard to write a review that reflects the burning adoration I have for the work. Let's try though.
Truly a masterful follow-up to his debut, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth feels refreshing, while evoking all the same great (although not exactly pleasant) feelings - anger and connection chief among them - from Hell Followed With Us.
The writing and imagery continues to be exquisite and the plot feels like a galloping rabbit through the meadows of Victorian England. If you're looking for a book about the survival of intersectional identities in a world where anything but the norm is broken apart, about humans surviving despite the narrow-eyed views of the powerful, about bringing them down the best you can, this is for you.
If you're hesitant over the content warnings and the gore, I don't think it was that bad, and I'm quite squirmish at times, unless specifically medical gore messes with you. but the discrimination CW are very much there and very much real - I said anger was central, it will be central in the reading experience too.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the PeachTree for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Abortion, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Deadnaming, Gore, Murder, Violence, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Ableism, and Forced institutionalization
Live, Laugh, Lesbian: Navigating Life as a Lesbian in the 21st Century by Helen Scott
2.0
i read approx 40% of the book (skimming a bit) and then i gave up on finding anything of use and just read a little bit here and there to get the gist. could be interesting for teens, i suppose.
i just think i have seen/read deeper, better takes on all of these issues, online, for free, in queer communties. or like, not even that because so much of it is just life... (hence my "if you're v young you might enjoy this") on that note, much of what i read in the last chapter i disagreed with, so i just think me and the author have deeply different ways to live and be in the world. (diversity win!)
ps. tiktok didn't invent queer online community though, keep that in mind. the queer nerds have been online since the moment we could. come to tumblr, it's much more fun.
disclaimer: book obtained via Netgalley. This review is frelly given and reflects my true thoughts.
i just think i have seen/read deeper, better takes on all of these issues, online, for free, in queer communties. or like, not even that because so much of it is just life... (hence my "if you're v young you might enjoy this") on that note, much of what i read in the last chapter i disagreed with, so i just think me and the author have deeply different ways to live and be in the world. (diversity win!)
ps. tiktok didn't invent queer online community though, keep that in mind. the queer nerds have been online since the moment we could. come to tumblr, it's much more fun.
disclaimer: book obtained via Netgalley. This review is frelly given and reflects my true thoughts.
Sex Cult Nun: Breaking Away from the Children of God, a Wild, Radical Religious Cult by Faith Jones
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 20%.
This book is far too graphic in the abuse described.
Plus, the writing style and the form feel weird and dissonant, as the sequence of events goes from pages of different but relatively-mundane life (like building a wall) to extremely abusive and traumatic scenarios.
Additionally, I think I would rather read a more removed perspective - i.e. a biography instead of an autobiography
Plus, the writing style and the form feel weird and dissonant, as the sequence of events goes from pages of different but relatively-mundane life (like building a wall) to extremely abusive and traumatic scenarios.
Additionally, I think I would rather read a more removed perspective - i.e. a biography instead of an autobiography
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Animal cruelty, Self harm, Sexual content, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Excrement, Incest, Animal death, Child abuse, Misogyny, Mental illness, Rape, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, and Drug use