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sinamile's reviews
473 reviews
Little Suns by Zakes Mda
5.0
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
TW: the book does use ableist language a lot.
Oh Little Suns, how I enjoyed thee.
"Little Suns" tells the story of a man who goes out on a trek to find the woman from his past. The novel jumps from present Malanganaan old man on his journey to find Mthwakazi, a Mthwa (the San) woman from his youth who he was in love withto a young Malangana, a stubborn man who's always ready for a fight against anyone who undermines his traditional (Black) ways.
The thing I love the most about this book is how much I can relate to some things in it. The novel is set between 1800 - 1912, long before I was born, but it still has the ability to make me feel attached to you it.
As a Black South African, I got references a lot easier, was able to laugh at some situations because I understood them on a personal level. Although Malangana and his family speak IsiXhosa, I understood what was being said (without the help of the translations, which were slightly distracting though I understand why theyre there) because of the language's similarities to IsiZulu. That drew me closer to the novel than it would have if Zakes Mda had chosen to write the whole thing in English. I feel that it helped the book, helped me, as a Black South African, feel more attached to the story.
Now a little more about Malangana.
Malangana is a stubborn man, both in his younger years and his older years. When younger, he refuses to be changed by the white settlers, does not want to be converted to Christianity and lose his transitional ways, lose himself, and when he is older he refuses to be stopped by anyone in his trek to find the woman he so loved.
His stubbornness reminds me of older Black men, those who are gone in age but refuse to admit that they have; those who say things like "Unyoko loyo" as a respond to an insult. He kind of reminds me of grandfather if I'm being honest (minus the "your mother" insult). I actually liked his character because he reminds me of people i know; I can relate him to real life people in my own life.
Malangana, as expected in royalty, has a large family with many brothers (although in white terms they would be considered as half-brothers and cousins). He is the son of the King and the Kings last wife, meaning that even though he is royalty, his chances of getting the throne are slim to none. Essentially he is the Prince Harry of his family, and like Harry, he doesn't care for the throne. Malangana is happy just being the Kings horse groom. He respects his older brother, Mhlontlo, and is fine with being led by him and looks up to him. Mhlontlo is a fine leader, a man who respects himself and his people and who ties to keep to his traditions.
His respect for Mhlontlo however decreases slightly when he believes that his King has swayed to the ways of the white man, especially one Hamilton Hope. Malangana hates the way his King deals with Hope and his demands, and thinks his King a weak man. But he doesnt realise that his King has a plan, his King always has a plan.
I HATE Hamilton Hope with everything I am. He is an assand a racistwho uses his position and power to humiliate anyone who doesnt do what he wants them to do. He does not hesitate in threatening anyone with his infamous cat-o'-nine-tails, even on older men who should not at all be touched by said whip. Hope enjoys the fact that he has something over the so called 'natives' of the land, that as magistrate, he has higher authority then even the Kingwho he insists mist be called chief because there should only be one kind or queen and that is Victoria in England nywe, nywe, nywe. ASS!
I couldn't wait for Hope to die. I was super prepared for it too, even excited for it. Hope was an asshole personified, using his power to abuse the amaMpondomise. I was ready to celebrate his death, even after only a few mentions of his name.
And whoooow boy did I celebrate when he died. And it was such a lovely thing to read too.
First of all the king makes a speech right. He doesnt even say a lot in the speech but he is powerful king and his word are just 👌👌.
He starts off with praising Hamilton Hope, talking about how he has helped amaMpondomise with staying protected and staying fed. Then my guy, the MVP, says he is no longer king and the new king is Hope and even names him Dilikintaba—'the one who demolishes mountains', which is not a proper translation of the name, but close enoughand when Hope tries to play it down, Mhlontlo insists, even going so far as to say "There is your God; I am only a dog" when referring to Hope.
BIIIIIIIII. I was just there like BIIIIIIIITCH!
And then King MVP turns to Davies/Sunduza (a white guy who grew up around the amaMpondomise people, and they consider him one of them, hence the name Sunduza) and says "Come here, I want to talk to you privately. I have a secret message that I want you to convey to the magistrate."
And oh laaawrd what happens next!?
Well the King takes Sunduza away and then the King's men pull Hope off his horse (right at the point when he's about to go for some speech I didn't care for) and kill him. They also kill his two buddies, who I cared nor at all about.
Eeeeexceeeellenttttt.........
It was coming, I didn't see it happening this way, but there was always that thing. The whole time when Hope is preparing things for the war the King is not happy. He isn't happy about the fact that Hope forces him to go to war when he is in mourning, he hasn't been happy about it since he was forced into agreeing to 'help'. His wife was queen, she deserves a proper mourning from her husbands (which includes him not touching any weapons of war or eating anything with salt) but Hope keeps insisting coz you know: asshole.
So all in all, Hope deserves what he gets.
Okay, now without spoiling the entire bookscoz I might just do that with how excited I am to share how good it isI just want everyone to know that this is a good book.
And the ending! That ending FMU and I was screeching because HOW DARE but also OMG! What a good ass ending. I am both mad and happy and I kinda want to fight someone because again HOW DARE but it was such a good ending!
PS:
I won't pretend that it doesn't have problematic moments, and language, because it does, but it was a good book. I'm usually not one for historical fiction, but this one I truly enjoyed because I got it, I understood the characters because they were so close to people I grew up around, people who are still around me every day. When people scream #RepresentationMatters, I agree without really feeling it. But I get it in a deep and true way now, I really do. Representation matters in every way possible. More representation for everyone, every time, always!
TW: the book does use ableist language a lot.
Oh Little Suns, how I enjoyed thee.
"Little Suns" tells the story of a man who goes out on a trek to find the woman from his past. The novel jumps from present Malanganaan old man on his journey to find Mthwakazi, a Mthwa (the San) woman from his youth who he was in love withto a young Malangana, a stubborn man who's always ready for a fight against anyone who undermines his traditional (Black) ways.
The thing I love the most about this book is how much I can relate to some things in it. The novel is set between 1800 - 1912, long before I was born, but it still has the ability to make me feel attached to you it.
As a Black South African, I got references a lot easier, was able to laugh at some situations because I understood them on a personal level. Although Malangana and his family speak IsiXhosa, I understood what was being said (without the help of the translations, which were slightly distracting though I understand why theyre there) because of the language's similarities to IsiZulu. That drew me closer to the novel than it would have if Zakes Mda had chosen to write the whole thing in English. I feel that it helped the book, helped me, as a Black South African, feel more attached to the story.
Now a little more about Malangana.
Malangana is a stubborn man, both in his younger years and his older years. When younger, he refuses to be changed by the white settlers, does not want to be converted to Christianity and lose his transitional ways, lose himself, and when he is older he refuses to be stopped by anyone in his trek to find the woman he so loved.
His stubbornness reminds me of older Black men, those who are gone in age but refuse to admit that they have; those who say things like "Unyoko loyo" as a respond to an insult. He kind of reminds me of grandfather if I'm being honest (minus the "your mother" insult). I actually liked his character because he reminds me of people i know; I can relate him to real life people in my own life.
Malangana, as expected in royalty, has a large family with many brothers (although in white terms they would be considered as half-brothers and cousins). He is the son of the King and the Kings last wife, meaning that even though he is royalty, his chances of getting the throne are slim to none. Essentially he is the Prince Harry of his family, and like Harry, he doesn't care for the throne. Malangana is happy just being the Kings horse groom. He respects his older brother, Mhlontlo, and is fine with being led by him and looks up to him. Mhlontlo is a fine leader, a man who respects himself and his people and who ties to keep to his traditions.
His respect for Mhlontlo however decreases slightly when he believes that his King has swayed to the ways of the white man, especially one Hamilton Hope. Malangana hates the way his King deals with Hope and his demands, and thinks his King a weak man. But he doesnt realise that his King has a plan, his King always has a plan.
I HATE Hamilton Hope with everything I am. He is an assand a racistwho uses his position and power to humiliate anyone who doesnt do what he wants them to do. He does not hesitate in threatening anyone with his infamous cat-o'-nine-tails, even on older men who should not at all be touched by said whip. Hope enjoys the fact that he has something over the so called 'natives' of the land, that as magistrate, he has higher authority then even the Kingwho he insists mist be called chief because there should only be one kind or queen and that is Victoria in England nywe, nywe, nywe. ASS!
I couldn't wait for Hope to die. I was super prepared for it too, even excited for it. Hope was an asshole personified, using his power to abuse the amaMpondomise. I was ready to celebrate his death, even after only a few mentions of his name.
And whoooow boy did I celebrate when he died. And it was such a lovely thing to read too.
Spoiler
First of all the king makes a speech right. He doesnt even say a lot in the speech but he is powerful king and his word are just 👌👌.
He starts off with praising Hamilton Hope, talking about how he has helped amaMpondomise with staying protected and staying fed. Then my guy, the MVP, says he is no longer king and the new king is Hope and even names him Dilikintaba—'the one who demolishes mountains', which is not a proper translation of the name, but close enoughand when Hope tries to play it down, Mhlontlo insists, even going so far as to say "There is your God; I am only a dog" when referring to Hope.
BIIIIIIIII. I was just there like BIIIIIIIITCH!
And then King MVP turns to Davies/Sunduza (a white guy who grew up around the amaMpondomise people, and they consider him one of them, hence the name Sunduza) and says "Come here, I want to talk to you privately. I have a secret message that I want you to convey to the magistrate."
And oh laaawrd what happens next!?
Well the King takes Sunduza away and then the King's men pull Hope off his horse (right at the point when he's about to go for some speech I didn't care for) and kill him. They also kill his two buddies, who I cared nor at all about.
Eeeeexceeeellenttttt.........
It was coming, I didn't see it happening this way, but there was always that thing. The whole time when Hope is preparing things for the war the King is not happy. He isn't happy about the fact that Hope forces him to go to war when he is in mourning, he hasn't been happy about it since he was forced into agreeing to 'help'. His wife was queen, she deserves a proper mourning from her husbands (which includes him not touching any weapons of war or eating anything with salt) but Hope keeps insisting coz you know: asshole.
So all in all, Hope deserves what he gets.
Okay, now without spoiling the entire bookscoz I might just do that with how excited I am to share how good it isI just want everyone to know that this is a good book.
And the ending! That ending FMU and I was screeching because HOW DARE but also OMG! What a good ass ending. I am both mad and happy and I kinda want to fight someone because again HOW DARE but it was such a good ending!
PS:
I won't pretend that it doesn't have problematic moments, and language, because it does, but it was a good book. I'm usually not one for historical fiction, but this one I truly enjoyed because I got it, I understood the characters because they were so close to people I grew up around, people who are still around me every day. When people scream #RepresentationMatters, I agree without really feeling it. But I get it in a deep and true way now, I really do. Representation matters in every way possible. More representation for everyone, every time, always!
After All This Time by Nikita Singh
3.0
Content Warning: Lavanya does not handle her illness well
I don't know if I like this book or not. Well okay, I like it and it got me emotional and I love Shourya and Lavanya, but ugh. It was kinda slow at first, picked up, then just kind of........meh. I don't know! I wanted to love it but it kinda fell short at the end.
I don't have HIV and I can't begin to imagine what it would be like for me to find out that I do have it. I don't know what I'd do, what my reaction would be, so I can't judge Lavanya on her actions, can't blame her reaction being to completely shut down instead of getting help. We aren't all built the same so we don't all have the same reactions to situations. I don't hate her for her reaction, it's natural for her.
What I do like about the book is that even though Lavanya's HIV status plays a part in the book, that's not all it's about, not all it focuses on. Lavanya has other problems too, like the secret she been hiding since she left home and the fact that her default setting is to run away from her problems rather than face them.
The books works through it all nicely, I think.
The other MC is Shourya Kapoor. I'm highkey into Shourya, ngl. He's a sweet guy and he's not the guy of nice guy who goes around telling girls he's a nice guy, he just is. Maybe he could work on his life choices, but he's a good person!
Shourya has his own share of dramas and a lot of them, mostly all of them, involve his cheating ex girlfriend. Deepti played my boy badly and I am angry! But at least he works his shit out in the end.
It's a happy ending though, so that's fine I guess. But overall I was kind underwhelmed by the end.
I don't know if I like this book or not. Well okay, I like it and it got me emotional and I love Shourya and Lavanya, but ugh. It was kinda slow at first, picked up, then just kind of........meh. I don't know! I wanted to love it but it kinda fell short at the end.
I don't have HIV and I can't begin to imagine what it would be like for me to find out that I do have it. I don't know what I'd do, what my reaction would be, so I can't judge Lavanya on her actions, can't blame her reaction being to completely shut down instead of getting help. We aren't all built the same so we don't all have the same reactions to situations. I don't hate her for her reaction, it's natural for her.
What I do like about the book is that even though Lavanya's HIV status plays a part in the book, that's not all it's about, not all it focuses on. Lavanya has other problems too, like the secret she been hiding since she left home and the fact that her default setting is to run away from her problems rather than face them.
The books works through it all nicely, I think.
The other MC is Shourya Kapoor. I'm highkey into Shourya, ngl. He's a sweet guy and he's not the guy of nice guy who goes around telling girls he's a nice guy, he just is. Maybe he could work on his life choices, but he's a good person!
Shourya has his own share of dramas and a lot of them, mostly all of them, involve his cheating ex girlfriend. Deepti played my boy badly and I am angry! But at least he works his shit out in the end.
It's a happy ending though, so that's fine I guess. But overall I was kind underwhelmed by the end.
Jammer Star by Kate Hargreaves
4.0
ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
TW: eating disorder, unhealthy diets
It took a while for me to get into this one because I don't know much about Derby but after watching the Try Guys do Roller Derby I finally decided to read it. And I'm glad that I did.
I actually enjoyed this book a lot, and am happy about the message it's bringing out, especially since this is for young readers who may also be going through the same situation as some of the characters. And it has lesbians, so that's a hard win for me.
TW: eating disorder, unhealthy diets
It took a while for me to get into this one because I don't know much about Derby but after watching the Try Guys do Roller Derby I finally decided to read it. And I'm glad that I did.
I actually enjoyed this book a lot, and am happy about the message it's bringing out, especially since this is for young readers who may also be going through the same situation as some of the characters. And it has lesbians, so that's a hard win for me.
Shutout by Jeff Ross
4.0
ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
CW: ableist slurs
That was intense, wow.
This book had me wanting to fight the entire time, lmao. I was so in it that every time did something to frame Alex I wanted to fight them! (metaphorically coz these are babies and I'm way too old to be out fighting 16-17 year olds, lol)
I honestly would've been so hurt if the Thunders hadn't won, I was so invested in Alex's team, wow.
I think the only thing that was dodge was the reveal of who was trying to ruin Alex's life and why. It sounded almost silly after everything. But it didn't take away from the story, at least.
This was actually really fun to read and I'm hoping I get even more books like this.
CW: ableist slurs
That was intense, wow.
This book had me wanting to fight the entire time, lmao. I was so in it that every time did something to frame Alex I wanted to fight them! (metaphorically coz these are babies and I'm way too old to be out fighting 16-17 year olds, lol)
I honestly would've been so hurt if the Thunders hadn't won, I was so invested in Alex's team, wow.
I think the only thing that was dodge was the reveal of who was trying to ruin Alex's life and why. It sounded almost silly after everything. But it didn't take away from the story, at least.
This was actually really fun to read and I'm hoping I get even more books like this.
Encyclopedia of Black Comics by Sheena C. Howard
4.0
ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This is a cool read. Although I didn't sit and read through all the information present, I still got to learn more about African American comic writers. This isn't a full representation of the number of writers, but it's a start in knowing people who are helping change the game.
I liked this, and hope in the years to come there are more and more comic book writers and artists added onto the list, showcasing their talents to the world.
This is a cool read. Although I didn't sit and read through all the information present, I still got to learn more about African American comic writers. This isn't a full representation of the number of writers, but it's a start in knowing people who are helping change the game.
I liked this, and hope in the years to come there are more and more comic book writers and artists added onto the list, showcasing their talents to the world.
The Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz
0.0
DNF 30%
I thought I'd love this as much as I love the movies, but it just didn't get to where I thought it could get, to the place where the movies got, especially the first one.
It's my bad that I assumed that they were all friends from when they were itty-bitty evils, but nah.
So yeah, best DNF it because then it won't get the rating it deserves if I keep reading.
I thought I'd love this as much as I love the movies, but it just didn't get to where I thought it could get, to the place where the movies got, especially the first one.
It's my bad that I assumed that they were all friends from when they were itty-bitty evils, but nah.
So yeah, best DNF it because then it won't get the rating it deserves if I keep reading.
The War Blog by Glen Sobey
0.0
ARC Review: Received for free via Edelweiss+ for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
TW: rape and rape culture, drug and alcahol abuse, binary gender comment, slut-shaming
DNF @ chapter 6
This happened, and then this happened and then she said this and then and then and then...
That's what noped me out of this book. The way everything was discribed, like whole sentences but only half formed.
I don't know what age group this is supposed to be for, but it reads like it's for 12+ possibly. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with books for younger reads, I've enjoyed my fair share in the past, but this one just wasn't it for me.
I like the idea, like what the writer wants to do in this book, and I'm sure there are going to be reads who enjoy it and learn from it and want to fight the good fight, but it juts wasn't for me.
I remember reading a trigger warning about the subject matter of this book somewhere, I think maybe it was when I was reading the blurb, hopefully I'm right and it does have a trigger warning somewhere on the book even if it's not inside the book.
TW: rape and rape culture, drug and alcahol abuse, binary gender comment, slut-shaming
DNF @ chapter 6
This happened, and then this happened and then she said this and then and then and then...
That's what noped me out of this book. The way everything was discribed, like whole sentences but only half formed.
I don't know what age group this is supposed to be for, but it reads like it's for 12+ possibly. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with books for younger reads, I've enjoyed my fair share in the past, but this one just wasn't it for me.
I like the idea, like what the writer wants to do in this book, and I'm sure there are going to be reads who enjoy it and learn from it and want to fight the good fight, but it juts wasn't for me.
I remember reading a trigger warning about the subject matter of this book somewhere, I think maybe it was when I was reading the blurb, hopefully I'm right and it does have a trigger warning somewhere on the book even if it's not inside the book.
The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
5.0
ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
CW: racial slurs & racism (but this book is focused on things like that, so)
I don't know how to eloquently put into words how much I adore this book. How do I go about explaining to someone how this book has changed my views even more than before and for the better.
There were things within writing and characterization of the Black body that I thought I'd taken note of, that I thought I was 'woke' to, and yet, having read this book, I realise that there are still so many things I am unaware of, traps that I, an inspiring writer, fall into.
This books has given me so much food for thought, has made me think longer and harder about characterization of Black people and how we're made to view them, how years of looking at the Black body through the eyes of White creators has warped the way we look at ourselves, the way we create ourselves.
EYE... I am honestly lost for words but lawrd is this a read that is important for all races, because its not just the White gaze that can distort our views of Black people, but other races can also fall into the trap of turning Black characters into caricatures.
Wow. What a book!
PS. The author is also a Harry/Hermione shipper
CW: racial slurs & racism (but this book is focused on things like that, so)
I don't know how to eloquently put into words how much I adore this book. How do I go about explaining to someone how this book has changed my views even more than before and for the better.
There were things within writing and characterization of the Black body that I thought I'd taken note of, that I thought I was 'woke' to, and yet, having read this book, I realise that there are still so many things I am unaware of, traps that I, an inspiring writer, fall into.
This books has given me so much food for thought, has made me think longer and harder about characterization of Black people and how we're made to view them, how years of looking at the Black body through the eyes of White creators has warped the way we look at ourselves, the way we create ourselves.
EYE... I am honestly lost for words but lawrd is this a read that is important for all races, because its not just the White gaze that can distort our views of Black people, but other races can also fall into the trap of turning Black characters into caricatures.
Wow. What a book!
PS. The author is also a Harry/Hermione shipper
ReWired by Shelli R. Johannes
2.0
ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
CW: ableist slurs, mentions of panic attack, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, death threats, mentions of death
Some of the chapter titles were amazing tbh and that probably the one thing I enjoyed the most. The story itself was meh for me. I guess this is for a younger audience which means the writer isn't going to go too hard on some topics, but I feel like the descriptions of the hacks was a little too vague, like a bit more could've been added, maybe.
I think the thing that bothered me most is how inconsistent the main character is, like her feeling towards certain characters shifted so quickly it kind of confused me, made me feel like there were things in the story I was missing. I don't know, maybe I did miss some things and didn't realise it. For me it felt as if the story was jumping too quickly and everything that was happening was happening too easily, and it was all too convenient. Like even the bad things that happened seemed convenient and were easily worked out. And sometimes the dialogue was so cringy I needed a moment to recollect. And the plot twists were just ugh, I couldn't take them seriously. There was one that happened somewhere at the 76% that just yikes. Again me I missed important clues throughout the book, but some of these twists just seemed to get dropped out of nowhere.
I wanted to love this book so much, but lol, I couldn't by the end and that makes me sad.
(Id probably read a second book of the series, just coz)
CW: ableist slurs, mentions of panic attack, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, death threats, mentions of death
Some of the chapter titles were amazing tbh and that probably the one thing I enjoyed the most. The story itself was meh for me. I guess this is for a younger audience which means the writer isn't going to go too hard on some topics, but I feel like the descriptions of the hacks was a little too vague, like a bit more could've been added, maybe.
I think the thing that bothered me most is how inconsistent the main character is, like her feeling towards certain characters shifted so quickly it kind of confused me, made me feel like there were things in the story I was missing. I don't know, maybe I did miss some things and didn't realise it. For me it felt as if the story was jumping too quickly and everything that was happening was happening too easily, and it was all too convenient. Like even the bad things that happened seemed convenient and were easily worked out. And sometimes the dialogue was so cringy I needed a moment to recollect. And the plot twists were just ugh, I couldn't take them seriously. There was one that happened somewhere at the 76% that just yikes. Again me I missed important clues throughout the book, but some of these twists just seemed to get dropped out of nowhere.
I wanted to love this book so much, but lol, I couldn't by the end and that makes me sad.
(Id probably read a second book of the series, just coz)