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shereadytoread's reviews
728 reviews
Why on Earth: An Alien Invasion Anthology by Vania Stoyanova, Rosiee Thor
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
This was such a unique take on the alien invasion story. This diverse anthology splits a single accidental alien invasion into one flowing plot with each individual story written by a different author. The stories lean toward romance and coming of age stories. It explores a variety of identities and even different locations around the country.
The collection is a mix of heartwarming and humorous. The characters find themselves in odd situations with a lot of fish out of water humor. In some stories the aliens are the focus, some the humans experiencing the alien invasion are the focus, and some are a mix of the two. While the stories were all different and written by different authors, I think they were able to align their writing styles in a way that flowed really well. I have read some of the authors before and some I have not, but everything matched up really well.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. I also pre-ordered my own copy (support indie bookstores!).
The collection is a mix of heartwarming and humorous. The characters find themselves in odd situations with a lot of fish out of water humor. In some stories the aliens are the focus, some the humans experiencing the alien invasion are the focus, and some are a mix of the two. While the stories were all different and written by different authors, I think they were able to align their writing styles in a way that flowed really well. I have read some of the authors before and some I have not, but everything matched up really well.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. I also pre-ordered my own copy (support indie bookstores!).
River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan
emotional
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This book was an interesting bend on the mystery thriller. It includes a lot of cultural and supernatural elements. The book plays into the trope of an unreliable narrator, but it is mostly in the way of her discovering events from the past (prior to the events of the book) that she doesn't remember, and not really whether her perception is true of what is happening now. The author's attempt to humanize mental illness and choices that the reader may not agree with, lands in some ways but in other ways does not (for me).
I thought the mystery portion was pretty interesting a couple of the twists were predictable but I still enjoyed following the story. This was a book with a good variety of female characters that made both positive and negative impacts/choices. Some of the supernatural elements felt a bit forced.
I thought the mystery portion was pretty interesting a couple of the twists were predictable but I still enjoyed following the story. This was a book with a good variety of female characters that made both positive and negative impacts/choices. Some of the supernatural elements felt a bit forced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin
tense
2.0
I didn't really enjoy this one. I liked the premise and some of the moments were interesting but there was a lot I would have needed to make this an exciting read. I almost DNFed it at a few points. This is most vignettes with a couple ongoing plot lines throughout the book.
The chapters felt very disjointed, even the chapters that formed an ongoing storyline. It is listed as a horror book, but I didn't really get that sense. If anything it felt like an attempt at a tense Literary Fiction or just general fiction? I don't know what I would call it, but I wouldn't call it horror.
The chapters felt very disjointed, even the chapters that formed an ongoing storyline. It is listed as a horror book, but I didn't really get that sense. If anything it felt like an attempt at a tense Literary Fiction or just general fiction? I don't know what I would call it, but I wouldn't call it horror.
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
Yes. Yes. Yes. This is everything I want from a funny and spicy monster romance. I stayed up late on a work night to finish this and I'm 90% sure I will be rereading this within a few months. This book I think was a big improvement from the Mead Mishaps series (which I also enjoyed).
The main character is a niche type of capable that fits into the story without making it seem over the top. There is a lot of variety in the creatures and world-building. There is a good amount of action but it still feels low stakes and not stressful. The situations are humorous and the adventure is fun. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters and some of the tension and conflict. This book had a good balance and variety in the spicy scenes that flowed well with the rest of the plot. There are both MF and MMF scenes.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series!
The main character is a niche type of capable that fits into the story without making it seem over the top. There is a lot of variety in the creatures and world-building. There is a good amount of action but it still feels low stakes and not stressful. The situations are humorous and the adventure is fun. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters and some of the tension and conflict. This book had a good balance and variety in the spicy scenes that flowed well with the rest of the plot. There are both MF and MMF scenes.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series!
Haunted World: 101 Ghostly Places and Encounters (with a Foreword by Loyd Auerbach) by Theresa Cheung
informative
3.75
This is a book that focuses not just on paranormal occurrences but also the science behind it and the study of parapsychology. If you are a frequent reader of the paranormal, you may know a lot of these but there are probably a good amount that you have not heard of as well as some deeper perspectives on the more commonly known hauntings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng is a claustrophobic, haunting, gory, horror novel. This book explores anti-Asian hate and hate crimes exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic using both crimes in NYC and the traditions of the Hungry Ghost Festival.
Cora is a character dealing with her own anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions related to cleanliness, trying to grieve her sister, managing complicated family relationships due to her multicultural background, and working her job as a crime scene cleaner.
While the book is heavy both in theme and content, there are some light moments and the book sprinkles in moments of humor well. This book is squarely horrific, both with the imagery of the ghosts and killings, but also the reflection on racism and isolation. The inclusion of the lighter moments gives some reprieve from the dread of the story, without completely taking you out of the plot.
I found the plot really interesting. However, it also has a distinct three act structure where the plot specifically shifts. It's a little jarring, but Cora's internal musings do manage to keep the story moving along without feeling complete disjointed.
Disclosure: I received an ARC and eARC of this book from the publisher.
Cora is a character dealing with her own anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions related to cleanliness, trying to grieve her sister, managing complicated family relationships due to her multicultural background, and working her job as a crime scene cleaner.
While the book is heavy both in theme and content, there are some light moments and the book sprinkles in moments of humor well. This book is squarely horrific, both with the imagery of the ghosts and killings, but also the reflection on racism and isolation. The inclusion of the lighter moments gives some reprieve from the dread of the story, without completely taking you out of the plot.
I found the plot really interesting. However, it also has a distinct three act structure where the plot specifically shifts. It's a little jarring, but Cora's internal musings do manage to keep the story moving along without feeling complete disjointed.
Disclosure: I received an ARC and eARC of this book from the publisher.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Abandonment
The Prodigy by Shae Sanders
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book had all the elements of something I would love but I ended up just liking it. Marriage of convenience in a high powered family. But this book felt a little too much like the first part of a series. It intros you to the family but it didn’t feel like a full story. It does end on a cliffhanger but in general it felt like all set up and not enough story. I enjoyed what I read but wanted a bit more from the plot. Looking forward to the next installment!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault
This Nonviolent Stuff'll Get You Killed: How Guns Made the Civil Rights Movement Possible by Charles E. Cobb
informative
reflective
4.5
This was an excellent read and history of lesser discussed aspects of the Civil Rights Movement and the Freedom Movement. The writing is compelling and there is a lot of specific time and biographical information.
This author recognizes two things at the beginning of the book that did greatly affect my reading experience:
1. It is not in chronological order and so there is some repetition and at some points it feels like backtracking
2. There is lack of documentation of female organizers’ contributions to both movements. It is acknowledged in the preface but there is little to no discussion of the impact of that throughout the narrative and there is no discussion of where the gaps in the history exist.
This author recognizes two things at the beginning of the book that did greatly affect my reading experience:
1. It is not in chronological order and so there is some repetition and at some points it feels like backtracking
2. There is lack of documentation of female organizers’ contributions to both movements. It is acknowledged in the preface but there is little to no discussion of the impact of that throughout the narrative and there is no discussion of where the gaps in the history exist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Police brutality
These Ghosts are Family by Maisy Card
3.0
This book fell middle of the road for me. I found the ancestry compelling and seeing how the family sins fell through the generations but because there is no order to these happenings, it feels extremely disjointed. In general it felt more like an anthology of short stories rather than a multigenerational family novel. The author’s prose is compelling and with a short page count she manages to provide multiple deeply complex characters in their own separate stories. I think heavier magic realism would have served this story to connect the chapters. I would give this author another try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Animal death
Decolonize Drag by Kareem Khubchandani
hopeful
informative
inspiring
5.0
This was an excellent read that expands the understanding of drag and gender performance. It is one of the most accessible texts on gender and gender performance that I’ve come across while still being very informative and introducing many texts and visual performances to explore.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia