Take a photo of a barcode or cover
shealea's reviews
622 reviews
Beware the Night by Jessika Fleck
1.0
Should have trusted my gut and given up at 21% but anyway, here's a bullet-point review of my thoughts (a more cohesive review may or may not come):
Note: I started skim-reading at the 24% mark.
- The beginning was dull and slow, events became marginally interesting at around the 21 to 24% mark, only to quickly regress into an unenjoyable mess.
- This is definitely NOT a quickly paced fantasy adventure.
- From the synopsis, the mythology sounded fascinating, but throughout the story itself, I remained skeptical of its believability. I just could not imagine people having faith in these stories, much less willingly losing their lives for the fulfillment of a half-baked prophecy (as spoken of by these stories).
- The world-building as a whole was one of the weakest points of Beware the Night, which is primarily why the story fell apart for me. In fact, I won't go into details, but I spotted a few gaping plot holes.
- Veda, as a heroine and as the Chosen One, failed to be a compelling lead. Instead, she got on my nerves a lot because she was driven by her self-interests, was illogically impulsive and reckless, and defied authority for the sake of defying authority (even to the point of abandoning common sense). I also really hated that she
- ALSO, CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW SHE WENT FROM KISSING ONE GUY TO KISSING ANOTHER GUY WITHIN - WHAT - 3 TO 5 CHAPTERS??? And that she kept going back and forth between the two of them, instead of focusing on the larger picture??? The love triangle was just unnecessary.
- The characters generally fell flat and felt underdeveloped, but nonetheless, I did develop a liking towards both the love interests: Nico and Dorian. If it were up to me, I'd throw Veda into the sea and make it my mission for these boys to fall in love with each other.
- The "plot twists" were hastily explained and poorly executed, diminishing their impact.
- The storytelling was really incohesive, and consistently throughout the story, I had a difficult time believing what was happening. Everything just seemed... dumb to me. And not well thought of.
- I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. Ever. And I definitely won't stick around for the sequel.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Beware the Night from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
1 star
* Find more of my shenanigans in my natural habitat!
Note: I started skim-reading at the 24% mark.
- The beginning was dull and slow, events became marginally interesting at around the 21 to 24% mark, only to quickly regress into an unenjoyable mess.
- This is definitely NOT a quickly paced fantasy adventure.
- From the synopsis, the mythology sounded fascinating, but throughout the story itself, I remained skeptical of its believability. I just could not imagine people having faith in these stories, much less willingly losing their lives for the fulfillment of a half-baked prophecy (as spoken of by these stories).
- The world-building as a whole was one of the weakest points of Beware the Night, which is primarily why the story fell apart for me. In fact, I won't go into details, but I spotted a few gaping plot holes.
- Veda, as a heroine and as the Chosen One, failed to be a compelling lead. Instead, she got on my nerves a lot because she was driven by her self-interests, was illogically impulsive and reckless, and defied authority for the sake of defying authority (even to the point of abandoning common sense). I also really hated that she
Spoiler
ruined years' worth of training, planning, and scheming just because she felt like an entitled brat.- ALSO, CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW SHE WENT FROM KISSING ONE GUY TO KISSING ANOTHER GUY WITHIN - WHAT - 3 TO 5 CHAPTERS??? And that she kept going back and forth between the two of them, instead of focusing on the larger picture??? The love triangle was just unnecessary.
- The characters generally fell flat and felt underdeveloped, but nonetheless, I did develop a liking towards both the love interests: Nico and Dorian. If it were up to me, I'd throw Veda into the sea and make it my mission for these boys to fall in love with each other.
- The "plot twists" were hastily explained and poorly executed, diminishing their impact.
- The storytelling was really incohesive, and consistently throughout the story, I had a difficult time believing what was happening. Everything just seemed... dumb to me. And not well thought of.
- I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. Ever. And I definitely won't stick around for the sequel.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Beware the Night from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
1 star
* Find more of my shenanigans in my natural habitat!
The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf
5.0
If you're a reader of diverse books and want to know what representations this book offers, find the diversity tags here.
As someone with no significant background in Malaysian history, The Weight of Our Sky was truly an insightful and enlightening experience for me. The story takes on an extremely devastating, severely traumatizing event – the historic race riots of 1969 – and doesn’t shy away from thoughtfully portraying the brewing racial tension between the Malay and the Chinese, the flaws from both sides, as well as the underlying political forces at play. It was tough, dark, and hard-hitting, but also critical and sensitive.
Moreover, The Weight of Our Sky explores both external and internal struggles, wherein the latter comes in the form of Melati trying to work through her anxiety and OCD, and how they interact and, at times, aggravate each other. Much like everything else, Alkaf’s portrayal of Melati’s mental illness is remarkably nuanced. Melati showed feelings of helplessness, guilt, and grief, while continually drawing from her inner strength and was propelled by her love for her mother – and I thought her character was exceptionally written.
Fun fact: I finished the last few chapters of The Weight of Our Sky exactly one hour before my hosting gig. I ended up openly weeping in a huge – thankfully, mostly empty – auditorium. The feelings this book gave me are difficult to describe. Reading it was sort of like losing my faith in humanity, only to have it rebuilt brick by brick as the story drew closer to its conclusion. As much as this book is about pain and trauma and anxiety, it is also about strength, faith, and resilience – and I absolutely loved seeing both.
I am not at all surprised that Hanna Alkaf is experienced in the field of journalism because it is quite clear to me that she has really done the legwork necessary to give this story the justice it deserves. The Weight of Our Sky thoughtfully intersects culture, politics, mental health, and religion into a harrowing, gut-wrenching tale that is sorely needed in the world today. This debut novel is a difficult, potentially triggering read, but it is a painful narrative that is undoubtedly relevant to the current political climate we live in. Now more than ever, we need more stories like The Weight of Our Sky on our shelves.
I received a digital ARC of The Weight of Our Sky from the author and her publishing team (via Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review.
Content/Trigger warnings:
5 stars.
* Read the rest of this review in my natural habitat!
As someone with no significant background in Malaysian history, The Weight of Our Sky was truly an insightful and enlightening experience for me. The story takes on an extremely devastating, severely traumatizing event – the historic race riots of 1969 – and doesn’t shy away from thoughtfully portraying the brewing racial tension between the Malay and the Chinese, the flaws from both sides, as well as the underlying political forces at play. It was tough, dark, and hard-hitting, but also critical and sensitive.
Moreover, The Weight of Our Sky explores both external and internal struggles, wherein the latter comes in the form of Melati trying to work through her anxiety and OCD, and how they interact and, at times, aggravate each other. Much like everything else, Alkaf’s portrayal of Melati’s mental illness is remarkably nuanced. Melati showed feelings of helplessness, guilt, and grief, while continually drawing from her inner strength and was propelled by her love for her mother – and I thought her character was exceptionally written.
Fun fact: I finished the last few chapters of The Weight of Our Sky exactly one hour before my hosting gig. I ended up openly weeping in a huge – thankfully, mostly empty – auditorium. The feelings this book gave me are difficult to describe. Reading it was sort of like losing my faith in humanity, only to have it rebuilt brick by brick as the story drew closer to its conclusion. As much as this book is about pain and trauma and anxiety, it is also about strength, faith, and resilience – and I absolutely loved seeing both.
I am not at all surprised that Hanna Alkaf is experienced in the field of journalism because it is quite clear to me that she has really done the legwork necessary to give this story the justice it deserves. The Weight of Our Sky thoughtfully intersects culture, politics, mental health, and religion into a harrowing, gut-wrenching tale that is sorely needed in the world today. This debut novel is a difficult, potentially triggering read, but it is a painful narrative that is undoubtedly relevant to the current political climate we live in. Now more than ever, we need more stories like The Weight of Our Sky on our shelves.
I received a digital ARC of The Weight of Our Sky from the author and her publishing team (via Edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review.
Content/Trigger warnings:
Spoiler
Graphic violence and war; graphic depictions of death; gore; obsessive compulsive disorder; anxiety and panic attacks; death of loved ones; racism; imagery/mentions of blood; and, depictions of grief5 stars.
* Read the rest of this review in my natural habitat!
Sisters' Entrance by Emtithal Mahmoud
5.0
Unlike a lot of popular contemporary poetry collections, I was not fed deliberately vague lines and generic content with gaps I could fill in with my own stories; instead, I was gifted with the unadulterated thoughts, feelings, and haunting realities experienced by the author. It was like being invited to see the world and everything in it from the poet’s perspective. More than that, it was like being entrusted with the full weight of someone else’s truth. The poet does not provoke her readers to personally relate to her experiences; but rather, she compels the audience to empathize with her, and on a larger scale, with people who share the same marginalized identities and endure the same injustices. In that empathy, there lies a deeper, more nuanced sense of compassion.
What makes this one wonderfully different from most contemporary poetry collections is that nothing about its content is vague. Sisters’ Entrance offers a strong feminine voice that not only speaks loudly and clearly, but also, and perhaps more fundamentally, resonates with readers, whether they can personally relate to the experiences or not. Emitithal is an immensely talented storyteller, and in this book, she invites readers into the nooks and crannies of the reality she has to face and oftentimes endure.
Sisters’ Entrance is arguably one of the most important and most hauntingly evocative books I have ever read. Emtithal Mahmoud writes brilliantly, but more significantly, she writes with defiant purpose, inspiring bravery, and empowering honesty. Her work sheds light on socially relevant issues such as genocide, survivor’s guilt, gender-based power dynamics, and discrimination (i.e. racism, Islamophobia), and ultimately, speaks of the brutal realities faced by women of color in contemporary society. The personal impact of this poetry collection on me as a woman of color is unparalleled, and I cannot recommend Sisters’ Entrance enough times!
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Sisters’ Entrance from the publishers (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publishers for the opportunity!
Actual rating: 5 stars
* Read the rest of this review in my natural habitat!
What makes this one wonderfully different from most contemporary poetry collections is that nothing about its content is vague. Sisters’ Entrance offers a strong feminine voice that not only speaks loudly and clearly, but also, and perhaps more fundamentally, resonates with readers, whether they can personally relate to the experiences or not. Emitithal is an immensely talented storyteller, and in this book, she invites readers into the nooks and crannies of the reality she has to face and oftentimes endure.
Sisters’ Entrance is arguably one of the most important and most hauntingly evocative books I have ever read. Emtithal Mahmoud writes brilliantly, but more significantly, she writes with defiant purpose, inspiring bravery, and empowering honesty. Her work sheds light on socially relevant issues such as genocide, survivor’s guilt, gender-based power dynamics, and discrimination (i.e. racism, Islamophobia), and ultimately, speaks of the brutal realities faced by women of color in contemporary society. The personal impact of this poetry collection on me as a woman of color is unparalleled, and I cannot recommend Sisters’ Entrance enough times!
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of Sisters’ Entrance from the publishers (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publishers for the opportunity!
Actual rating: 5 stars
* Read the rest of this review in my natural habitat!
Snug: A Collection of Comics about Dating Your Best Friend by Catana Chetwynd
4.0
I've been following Catana and her work for a very long time, and I truly cannot get enough of her humor and art style! True to her brand, Snug is full of simple, albeit unbelievably adorable, illustrations that range from pure wholesome fluff to down-to-earth mundane realness. Her comics never fail to bring some sunshine into my day, and I cannot stress how much I enjoyed flipping through the pages of Snug.
I'll definitely keep an eye out for her succeeding comic collections!
Recommended!
* I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I'll definitely keep an eye out for her succeeding comic collections!
Recommended!
* I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Helium by Rudy Francisco
4.0
I’m learning
that I don’t always
have to make noise
to be seen,
that even my silence
has a spine, a rumble
and says, I’m here
in its native tongue.
— Excerpt taken from Silence
I think it’s impossible to dive into a book of poetry and expect every piece to resonate with you. With Helium, it took me a while to warm up to it. The first few pieces revolved around the author’s perception of love and his relationship experiences, which I couldn’t really connect with in a meaningful way. I think it’s mainly because of my own preferences — simply put, I think literature is already oversaturated with poems about love and heartbreak, so I don’t have the stomach to fully appreciate them. However, as the pieces became more reflective of his struggles as a person of color and as a person facing deteriorating mental health, my reading experience with Helium drastically improved.
After reading this book, I searched for Rudy Francisco’s live performances online. Personally, I think his works are better delivered orally, instead of in the written word. Watching his live performances made me realize that some of the essence and power behind his words were lost in the process of transferring them into book form, which is a shame. But I think this unavoidably happens to all spoken word artists who try to publish their poetry.
Nonetheless, despite my rocky start, I really enjoyed reading Helium, especially the poems that touched on Blackness and toxic masculinity and privilege. I appreciated the use of accessible language in all his poetry. I liked how the author effortlessly alternated between declarative and reflective tones in a way that really provokes thought from the reader. I loved Rudy Francisco’s bluntness and his messy metaphors that inexplicably made sense. Helium is a remarkable poetry book for a debut author.
Recommended! (4 stars)
Content and trigger warnings:
* I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review.
that I don’t always
have to make noise
to be seen,
that even my silence
has a spine, a rumble
and says, I’m here
in its native tongue.
— Excerpt taken from Silence
I think it’s impossible to dive into a book of poetry and expect every piece to resonate with you. With Helium, it took me a while to warm up to it. The first few pieces revolved around the author’s perception of love and his relationship experiences, which I couldn’t really connect with in a meaningful way. I think it’s mainly because of my own preferences — simply put, I think literature is already oversaturated with poems about love and heartbreak, so I don’t have the stomach to fully appreciate them. However, as the pieces became more reflective of his struggles as a person of color and as a person facing deteriorating mental health, my reading experience with Helium drastically improved.
After reading this book, I searched for Rudy Francisco’s live performances online. Personally, I think his works are better delivered orally, instead of in the written word. Watching his live performances made me realize that some of the essence and power behind his words were lost in the process of transferring them into book form, which is a shame. But I think this unavoidably happens to all spoken word artists who try to publish their poetry.
Nonetheless, despite my rocky start, I really enjoyed reading Helium, especially the poems that touched on Blackness and toxic masculinity and privilege. I appreciated the use of accessible language in all his poetry. I liked how the author effortlessly alternated between declarative and reflective tones in a way that really provokes thought from the reader. I loved Rudy Francisco’s bluntness and his messy metaphors that inexplicably made sense. Helium is a remarkable poetry book for a debut author.
Recommended! (4 stars)
Content and trigger warnings:
Spoiler
References to sexual assault, loss, police brutality, abuse. Topics of racism and generational trauma.* I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review.
salt. by Nayyirah Waheed
4.0
my english is broken.
on purpose.
you
have to try harder to understand
me.
breaking this language
you so love
is my pleasure.
in your arrogance
you presume that i want your skinny language.
that my mouth is building a room for
it
in the back of my throat.
it is not.
— i have seven different words for love. you
have only one. that makes a lot of sense.
Recommended! (4 stars)
on purpose.
you
have to try harder to understand
me.
breaking this language
you so love
is my pleasure.
in your arrogance
you presume that i want your skinny language.
that my mouth is building a room for
it
in the back of my throat.
it is not.
— i have seven different words for love. you
have only one. that makes a lot of sense.
Recommended! (4 stars)
The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala
4.0
I’m really, really soft for these characters, okay. And the romantic development in this book? Swati Teerdhala writes tension so phenomenally well! Julianna and I just ate it all up. IT WAS GREAT! Kunal and Esha are explosive together.
Although The Tiger at Midnight greatly deviated from my expectations, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the almost literal cat-and-mouse chase across a brutally damaged fantasy land. I liked the elements of Indian mythology integrated into the world-building, as well as the copious amount of humorous banter between Kunal and Esha.
This was fun and refreshing!
4 stars
* Read more of my bookish shenanigans in my natural habitat.
Although The Tiger at Midnight greatly deviated from my expectations, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the almost literal cat-and-mouse chase across a brutally damaged fantasy land. I liked the elements of Indian mythology integrated into the world-building, as well as the copious amount of humorous banter between Kunal and Esha.
This was fun and refreshing!
4 stars
* Read more of my bookish shenanigans in my natural habitat.
Queen of Coin and Whispers by Helen Corcoran
1.0
Buddy read with Tee.
_
Queen of Coin and Whispers is the potato salad of YA fantasy. Full review to follow.
* I received a digital ARC of Queen of Coin and Whispers from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
_
Queen of Coin and Whispers is the potato salad of YA fantasy. Full review to follow.
* I received a digital ARC of Queen of Coin and Whispers from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
5.0
Just finished my reread! The politics! The deception! The slowburn romance! The angst and longing! I’m still blown away.
_
This is so brilliant, and I cannot believe I'm not seeing enough people hype this title up because I had so much trouble putting Fireborne down. This beautifully written fantasy debut is Game of Thrones meets Plato's Republic, and y'all aren't ready for the feels.
Buddy read this with Vinny from Artsy Draft. Full review to follow!
_
This is so brilliant, and I cannot believe I'm not seeing enough people hype this title up because I had so much trouble putting Fireborne down. This beautifully written fantasy debut is Game of Thrones meets Plato's Republic, and y'all aren't ready for the feels.
Buddy read this with Vinny from Artsy Draft. Full review to follow!
He's Not My Boyfriend by Jackie Lau
1.0
I’ll forever feel salty about the time I wasted on this drivel.