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stardustrohrig's reviews
68 reviews
Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this one for one of my book clubs. It’s described as a queer romance but the “romance” aspect isn’t what many would usually call romance given that Shesheshen is technically a monster and wants to find someone to lay their eggs in… In any case I ended up enjoying it more than I was expecting too. Shesheshen and Homily are great characters. Homily’s family is a but much but it all works out well in the end for everyone. Part of what helps is that Shesheshen isn’t fully knowledgeable about what it means to be what she is. She had no one around to teach her anything so was essentially making it up as she went along. Shesheshen also has a lot of opinions about humans from having observed them for so long and actually seems to understand them better than she understands herself. Homily desperately needs to escape her terrible family but needs to work through a lot stuff first as well.
The Abbess Rebellion by Oren Ashkenazi
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoyed the book! The characters were great and I liked the way the different groups formed and interacted. I thought it worked well that there were multiple conflicts that had to be resolved before Sophie could take the throne. I can’t decide if the one plot twist was to be expected or not but I liked how it was resolved. The ending did feel a little abrupt but it also works for the story since it’s about Sophie’s rebellion more than anything else. Still I kind of wanted to know more and there were few unanswered questions that even Sophie brought up at the end of the book. I’m hopeful for a sequel someday!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Asunder by Kerstin Hall
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the characters. The characters are great and I liked the way the various friendships developed. The story is the type where the reader dumped right into the plot without a lot of information about the world so they have to figure it out as they go along. I think this worked out well most of the time, even though there were a few areas I would have liked some more explanation of what was going on and why it was important. I’m not entirely on board with the romance subplot that starts to develop but that’s mostly because romance is not something I enjoy reading unless it’s a very minor subplot.
I did like the idea that on-binary individuals in this world without it ever really being stated. They just appear one the page when talked about or described by other characters with they/them pronouns as a matter of course. There is also at least one trans character in the story. With both of these situations I liked what it meant for the world of “Asunder”. LGBTQIA2S+ People just exist as they are without question.
While the ending is rather abrupt I do believe it works for the story as it plays out. There are several things going on at once and not all of it can be solved easily. I’ve seen that the author is working on the sequel and depending on how it’s marketed I’ll probably read it. If it leans more into the romance plot I might skip it. I could also handle the book ending as a standalone because like I said it made sense with how the plot was going and the overall tone of the book.
Watermyth by Anita Harris Satkunananthan
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the characters. It takes a while and some effort to get through because of the way it's set up. Each chapter is part of the overall story of one of the watermaidens. It's written as though it's third person point of view but it helps to remember that it's Regya narrating the story as she learns it. I feel that towards the end the story comes together and the narrative becomes clearer as Regya learns more and regains some of her memories. The world building in progress because Regya needs to figure everything out after being memory wiped. I look forward to reading the next book and learning more about the characters and their world.
Meru by S.B. Divya
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I really enjoyed this book – the world building is great and while some terms used were a bit confusing it was mostly explained as you read a long what they were referring too. I really enjoyed all of the characters involved – even one that was kind of frustrating at first. I really enjoyed how disability is used in this book as a benefit – the planet is found is actually more stable to those who have a specific disability. There’s also a lot of learning about different people and coming to understand that sometimes you don’t know everything you think you know.
We Came to Welcome You by Vincent Tirado
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed this for the most part - though I think I do prefer the author's first two books. It's a complicated read because on the one hand something sinister is in fact going on but on the other hand Sol is dealing with depression and other mental health issues that are exaggerating some of her responses to the various situations she's dealing with. There is a very slow buildup of everything as things begin to develop in the community. Sometimes it's a little tedious but never enough that I wanted to stop reading.
I did end up questioning how Sol and Alice ended up married - they don't seem like a good couple who actually understand each other. Beyond the fact that Alice was there for Sol when Sol's family kicked her out. Though I suspect it's a similar issue to Sol still visiting her father - she doesn't know how to do anything else and feels like she has no choices. Some other reviewers are very harsh about Sol but honestly I had more problems with Alice and how she talked to Sol or handled Sol's issues. That said we are really only getting Sol's perspective on everything.
While we do find out what is going on with the community the ending is actually rather abrupt. It's never really made clear how much of it was resolved. I'm also not certain of Sol's actions near the end and what exactly she ended up doing about the community. Though ultimately it feels like she did what she felt like she had to do to survive with Alice.
I did end up questioning how Sol and Alice ended up married - they don't seem like a good couple who actually understand each other. Beyond the fact that Alice was there for Sol when Sol's family kicked her out. Though I suspect it's a similar issue to Sol still visiting her father - she doesn't know how to do anything else and feels like she has no choices. Some other reviewers are very harsh about Sol but honestly I had more problems with Alice and how she talked to Sol or handled Sol's issues. That said we are really only getting Sol's perspective on everything.
While we do find out what is going on with the community the ending is actually rather abrupt. It's never really made clear how much of it was resolved. I'm also not certain of Sol's actions near the end and what exactly she ended up doing about the community. Though ultimately it feels like she did what she felt like she had to do to survive with Alice.
The Windweaver's Storm by Antoine Bandele
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This review contains major spoilers for the book and for the previous one in the series, but I don't feel there's any other way to explain why I ended up not enjoying the book...
I really wanted to enjoy this book, especially when TJ meets a deaf boy, named Emeka, who uses Yoruba Sign Language (a sign language used in Nigeria), on the way to Ifa Academy. I was excited about the Deaf representation and since TJ knew a little bit of American Sign Language (enough to realize Emeka was deaf and using YSL), I was excited that there might be interesting interactions with them.Unfortunately, their potential friendship was derailed by misunderstandings and lies, resulting in Emeka hating TJ and avoiding him. We find out later on what the lies were and that Emeka has been providing information to the enemy group. Near the end of the book Emeka is killed in a brutal fashion seemingly just for the shock value because he had outlived his usefulness to the enemy. Thought, it's not even clear who killed Emeka or why. It doesn't appear to be the people Emeka was providing information to given how one of them reacts but again it's not clear. Ultimately I felt like this had been a cheap use of the character and since he was the only deaf / disabled character in the book it stood out.
II also feel as though the author has a habit of going out of his way to describe "odd" looking people. TJ meets another teen, named Umar, who apparently has disproportionately sized arms and legs along with some other physical characteristics that are described in detail for no real reason. There’s also a running joke that he’s been trying out for the school sport team but doesn’t make the team each time he tries. Umar does end up having more to do in the end of the book but it doesn’t really make up for him being the butt of jokes about his lack of physical ability.
The first book had similar issues. TJ meets an overweight character named Joshua who is described as smelly and gross and all he thinks about is eating. Granted TJ and Joshua end up being friends and work well together throughout the book.But in the end it’s revealed that Joshua never existed and is the secretly one of the Orishas hiding inside a body that was created for him. There was another character in the first book with bursting pimples that gets called “juice” … Again the author goes out of his way to describe differences in detail in a way that sticks out. Especially when other characters aren’t described to the same degree. One can argue that it’s teenager point of view but at the same time the author is making a choice to make TJ that kind of a teenager. It also doesn't entirely fit in with how kind TJ seems to be otherwise.
There’s also a love triangle in the second book, but that ended up being the least annoying part of the book, as it at least made sense in some ways. I did like the family dynamics and friendships in the book along with the world building, all of which I liked from the first book and why I of why I wanted to read this book. I really wish it had turned out better but as it stands I don’t have any interest in reading the next book in the series.
As a side note Emeka is described as “hearing impaired” rather than deaf which stuck out as deaf is usually the preferred term and makes sense for a character who can't hear at all and uses sign language. But I don’t know for sure if that is more a cultural/regional difference as the setting is in Nigeria and “hearing impaired might actually be preferred there verses what is preferred here. Plus it’s implied that Emeka lost his hearing sometime during his earlier childhood and could also speak with effort and read lips as a result. All of that could lead to more of a preference towards using hearing impaired vs hard of hearing.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, especially when TJ meets a deaf boy, named Emeka, who uses Yoruba Sign Language (a sign language used in Nigeria), on the way to Ifa Academy. I was excited about the Deaf representation and since TJ knew a little bit of American Sign Language (enough to realize Emeka was deaf and using YSL), I was excited that there might be interesting interactions with them.
II also feel as though the author has a habit of going out of his way to describe "odd" looking people. TJ meets another teen, named Umar, who apparently has disproportionately sized arms and legs along with some other physical characteristics that are described in detail for no real reason. There’s also a running joke that he’s been trying out for the school sport team but doesn’t make the team each time he tries. Umar does end up having more to do in the end of the book but it doesn’t really make up for him being the butt of jokes about his lack of physical ability.
The first book had similar issues. TJ meets an overweight character named Joshua who is described as smelly and gross and all he thinks about is eating. Granted TJ and Joshua end up being friends and work well together throughout the book.
There’s also a love triangle in the second book, but that ended up being the least annoying part of the book, as it at least made sense in some ways. I did like the family dynamics and friendships in the book along with the world building, all of which I liked from the first book and why I of why I wanted to read this book. I really wish it had turned out better but as it stands I don’t have any interest in reading the next book in the series.
As a side note Emeka is described as “hearing impaired” rather than deaf which stuck out as deaf is usually the preferred term and makes sense for a character who can't hear at all and uses sign language. But I don’t know for sure if that is more a cultural/regional difference as the setting is in Nigeria and “hearing impaired might actually be preferred there verses what is preferred here. Plus it’s implied that Emeka lost his hearing sometime during his earlier childhood and could also speak with effort and read lips as a result. All of that could lead to more of a preference towards using hearing impaired vs hard of hearing.
Being Seen: One Deafblind Woman's Fight to End Ableism by Elsa Sjunneson
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I really enjoyed this book and the way Elsa mixes personal stories with Deafblind history and criticisms of portrayals of disability in various mediums. The criticisms are all relevant to her life because the lives of disabled people are often shaped by what others assume to be true. Like all of us who are disabled Elsa has had to fight the ableist assumptions people have made in order have a life that she wants. She has a whole chapter on Hellen Keller and how Hellen's story is often changed to suite ableist ideas of who she was. There's also a lot to be said for the damage caused by people "not seeing disability" - because when that happens it results in a lot of internalized ableism to unpack while also needing to learn how to actually work with your disabilities instead of ignoring them to pass as non-disabled. There's also a chapter about disability in science fiction and how we're often erased.
Contingency Plans for the Apocalypse And Other Possible Situations by S.B. Divya
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I've read S.B. Diva's two Alloy Era Novels "Maru" and "Loka" so I knew what to expect from her writing and the short stories were no surprise. I really enjoyed them all and how the author handles everything from disability to gender to various technologies and how it can be used for good or bad. I really enjoyed all of these stories though with any short story there are a couple I wish had been longer.
LOSS OF SIGNAL - This is an interesting story about a dying teenager whose consciousness was uploaded into a spaceship - the first test flight of such ships as an alternate way to explore space. It's a lot of internal thoughts as the teen is flying the ship towards the moon and thinking about his previous years and the choices he's making.
CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR THE APOCALYPSE - A dark story about surviving after being attacked for performing lifesaving abortions in Arizona. The surviving spouse (who always expected to be the one killed) has to get their children out of the state. One might wonder if the cost of staying was too great but the help they gave was also vital.
MICROBIOTA AND THE MASSES: A LOVE STORY - This one would not be my usual cup of tea since it's a love story but it's got an interesting premise. The main character, who is also a biologist, has been isolated in their home because of the pollution making them sick. So their house is completely contained with clean air and water. The way they end up making various choices was interesting and I liked the way they end up helping everyone while falling in love with a repair man who came to their home.
AN UNEXPECTED BOON - This was an interesting story of a young girl who has ODC or Autistic traits (though it's never named as such) and her older brother. The brother is a bit of a jerk but it's actually an understandable issue because he's been left to take care of her temporarily by his parents and he insisted he could do it without considering what it would mean. I like the way it plays out though with the girl being stronger than he thinks despite everything that happens.
NAVA - I'm pretty sure this is a story set in the author's Alloy Era series (probably an early version since this book was published before both "Meru" and "Loka"). Or it's different take on that universe. It has an interesting concept with a living ship having been created and needing to learn how to function as its maker intended.
BINARIES - Interesting glimpses in time of a person's long life. The method for which they live their long life isn't explained but it seems like it has to do with being converted to digital signals. But in the end though it has to do with family and finding someone who was lost.
THE EGG - This one is really short on details and the ending is a little vague but it's a look at choices people make and consequences. The vague unknown ending is actually the point given what happens. The looming unknown after a death changes everything.
DUSTY OLD THINGS - Cool story about someone talking to an alternate version of themselves through a light board. It's not clear exactly how the technology worked as the version that discovered the technology is the one in the alternate universe. I liked the way it played out and that the differences in their lives was an important part of the story.
THE BOY WHO MADE FLOWERS - In a world where superpowers are real a boy develops the power to make flower. He of course hates it at first but soon learns what his power can mean for others. I really enjoyed how this one ended up.
SHIPS IN THE NIGHT - A very brief look at the life of someone who can see the future and what happens when they meet an immortal. Interesting story and I liked the way it plays out. Probably not what you'd expect but it makes sense when you think about it.
GAPS OF JOY, AND A KNOT FOR LOVE - This one is a little weird as I'm not sure what the ending is saying about the persons powers vs reality. He has the power to collect and share happiness but it's not all that his family needs.
STRANGE ATTRACTORS - this one is an interesting look at a couple who marries and divorces and then meets again centuries later (no explanation other than technology being available). I actually liked the ending of this one because it felt very realistic for people who keep meeting up again despite everything.
SOFT WE WAKE - A person tries to adjust after waking up in the far future without the person who was supposed to be there with him. Everything is so different and he's not comfortable with all the changes. I liked the way it played out and the friendship he ends up developing with another person who was revived at the same time. Her situation is different but with similar ideas of not being sure how to live again in such a changed world.
RUNTIME - I believe this one is the longest of the short stories in the book but it has a lot to say. I'm not entirely sure how the postnatal licensing works but naturally it's yet another way to keep poor people poor since they can never afford to pay the fees and without it they can't get jobs or better educations. Anyway the main character attempts a race to earn more money to get out of their situation. The way things go down was exciting and naturally it doesn't go as planed. I did like how it worked out though.
LOSS OF SIGNAL - This is an interesting story about a dying teenager whose consciousness was uploaded into a spaceship - the first test flight of such ships as an alternate way to explore space. It's a lot of internal thoughts as the teen is flying the ship towards the moon and thinking about his previous years and the choices he's making.
CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR THE APOCALYPSE - A dark story about surviving after being attacked for performing lifesaving abortions in Arizona. The surviving spouse (who always expected to be the one killed) has to get their children out of the state. One might wonder if the cost of staying was too great but the help they gave was also vital.
MICROBIOTA AND THE MASSES: A LOVE STORY - This one would not be my usual cup of tea since it's a love story but it's got an interesting premise. The main character, who is also a biologist, has been isolated in their home because of the pollution making them sick. So their house is completely contained with clean air and water. The way they end up making various choices was interesting and I liked the way they end up helping everyone while falling in love with a repair man who came to their home.
AN UNEXPECTED BOON - This was an interesting story of a young girl who has ODC or Autistic traits (though it's never named as such) and her older brother. The brother is a bit of a jerk but it's actually an understandable issue because he's been left to take care of her temporarily by his parents and he insisted he could do it without considering what it would mean. I like the way it plays out though with the girl being stronger than he thinks despite everything that happens.
NAVA - I'm pretty sure this is a story set in the author's Alloy Era series (probably an early version since this book was published before both "Meru" and "Loka"). Or it's different take on that universe. It has an interesting concept with a living ship having been created and needing to learn how to function as its maker intended.
BINARIES - Interesting glimpses in time of a person's long life. The method for which they live their long life isn't explained but it seems like it has to do with being converted to digital signals. But in the end though it has to do with family and finding someone who was lost.
THE EGG - This one is really short on details and the ending is a little vague but it's a look at choices people make and consequences. The vague unknown ending is actually the point given what happens. The looming unknown after a death changes everything.
DUSTY OLD THINGS - Cool story about someone talking to an alternate version of themselves through a light board. It's not clear exactly how the technology worked as the version that discovered the technology is the one in the alternate universe. I liked the way it played out and that the differences in their lives was an important part of the story.
THE BOY WHO MADE FLOWERS - In a world where superpowers are real a boy develops the power to make flower. He of course hates it at first but soon learns what his power can mean for others. I really enjoyed how this one ended up.
SHIPS IN THE NIGHT - A very brief look at the life of someone who can see the future and what happens when they meet an immortal. Interesting story and I liked the way it plays out. Probably not what you'd expect but it makes sense when you think about it.
GAPS OF JOY, AND A KNOT FOR LOVE - This one is a little weird as I'm not sure what the ending is saying about the persons powers vs reality. He has the power to collect and share happiness but it's not all that his family needs.
STRANGE ATTRACTORS - this one is an interesting look at a couple who marries and divorces and then meets again centuries later (no explanation other than technology being available). I actually liked the ending of this one because it felt very realistic for people who keep meeting up again despite everything.
SOFT WE WAKE - A person tries to adjust after waking up in the far future without the person who was supposed to be there with him. Everything is so different and he's not comfortable with all the changes. I liked the way it played out and the friendship he ends up developing with another person who was revived at the same time. Her situation is different but with similar ideas of not being sure how to live again in such a changed world.
RUNTIME - I believe this one is the longest of the short stories in the book but it has a lot to say. I'm not entirely sure how the postnatal licensing works but naturally it's yet another way to keep poor people poor since they can never afford to pay the fees and without it they can't get jobs or better educations. Anyway the main character attempts a race to earn more money to get out of their situation. The way things go down was exciting and naturally it doesn't go as planed. I did like how it worked out though.
Buffalo Is the New Buffalo by Chelsea Vowel
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I really enjoyed reading all of the stories in the book! The Locating Myself, Preface and Conclusion chapters are important to read as they give a lot of context for the kind of stories that are included. Something that is often ignored is that all of the stories about world ending invasions have already happened to many Indigenous populations. The stories in this book play on that concept in different ways. The introduction gives a short explanation for the stories included. Each story also includes an explanation of the story and several footnotes which are interesting to read as they give additional context for the story and the inspiration for them.
BUFFALO BIRD - I liked the way it played out though it was tricky keeping track of the story as it jumped between different times in the life of the shapeshifter character. Though I did think the different time and situations had a common thread that made it work.
MICHIF MAN - This one was interesting as it was split between a modern day academic presentation of whether or not Michif Man actually existed or was just a metaphor and then actual scenes from the character's life. Interesting story!
DIRTY WINGS - This one is a dream / stream of consciousness story so it's a bit tricky to get. It's interesting though and I really enjoyed the explanation section for this one.
MAGGIE SUE - This one takes some work to get through because it's a detailed story that the POV character is telling about an event that happened. The character isn't the main character of the story but actually a side character who encounters the main character as they head off on a quest (basically). There's a lot going on in the story with a few side stories as the character explains things and it does take work to follow along. Worth it though.
A LODGE WITHIN HER MIND - A pandemic story! Interesting take in the idea of being uploaded into a virtual reality and what it can mean for you afterwards. The ending of it is neat.
ÂNISKÔHÔCIKAN - This one has an interesting idea - using nanites to force all language heard by a person into Cree, from birth, in order to create more native speakers of the language. The story is short and it's intended to raise more questions than answers as we only see the beginning years of the child's life without a lot of detail. How will it work as the child grows up? There's hints of the idea of how we claim that technology will save us but it never works without consequences.
I, BISON - This story takes the idea of digital uploads and expands on what it would mean in the context of spiritual connections to the body. It also explores the idea of disability or mental illness and what actually disabled us. I really liked the ideas presented and the explanation is after the story is interesting.
UNSETTLED - And this is the story that deals with the idea that Indigenous populations are already postapocalyptic. They've had their lands stollen and their people enslaved or killed. What would happen if they were given control back? What would it take for them to decide that it was worth whatever cost they had to make? It's an interesting idea and makes an interesting point. The explanation afterwards is great too.
BUFFALO BIRD - I liked the way it played out though it was tricky keeping track of the story as it jumped between different times in the life of the shapeshifter character. Though I did think the different time and situations had a common thread that made it work.
MICHIF MAN - This one was interesting as it was split between a modern day academic presentation of whether or not Michif Man actually existed or was just a metaphor and then actual scenes from the character's life. Interesting story!
DIRTY WINGS - This one is a dream / stream of consciousness story so it's a bit tricky to get. It's interesting though and I really enjoyed the explanation section for this one.
MAGGIE SUE - This one takes some work to get through because it's a detailed story that the POV character is telling about an event that happened. The character isn't the main character of the story but actually a side character who encounters the main character as they head off on a quest (basically). There's a lot going on in the story with a few side stories as the character explains things and it does take work to follow along. Worth it though.
A LODGE WITHIN HER MIND - A pandemic story! Interesting take in the idea of being uploaded into a virtual reality and what it can mean for you afterwards. The ending of it is neat.
ÂNISKÔHÔCIKAN - This one has an interesting idea - using nanites to force all language heard by a person into Cree, from birth, in order to create more native speakers of the language. The story is short and it's intended to raise more questions than answers as we only see the beginning years of the child's life without a lot of detail. How will it work as the child grows up? There's hints of the idea of how we claim that technology will save us but it never works without consequences.
I, BISON - This story takes the idea of digital uploads and expands on what it would mean in the context of spiritual connections to the body. It also explores the idea of disability or mental illness and what actually disabled us. I really liked the ideas presented and the explanation is after the story is interesting.
UNSETTLED - And this is the story that deals with the idea that Indigenous populations are already postapocalyptic. They've had their lands stollen and their people enslaved or killed. What would happen if they were given control back? What would it take for them to decide that it was worth whatever cost they had to make? It's an interesting idea and makes an interesting point. The explanation afterwards is great too.