strawhat_kd's reviews
54 reviews

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

First book I've read from S.A. Crosby and it did not disappoint. It gives you a couple of pages of backstory and then it jumps right into the action. It's a dark tense ride as Sherriff Titus Crown hunts down a serial killer. The person he is hunting could be anyone he knows as tensions are high in a small town plagued by racism and he's the town's first elected Black Sheriff. 
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Out There Screaming by Jordan Peele

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dark 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? It's complicated

4.5

This was a very good anthology. Contributing authors include P. Djeli Clark, Nnedi Okrafor, Rebecca Roanhoarse, Tananarive Due and Tochi Onyebuchi. Out of the 19 stories, I wasn't fond of 2. A great read. It's an Alfred Hitchcock type of horror, so nothing too gory.
The Night Masquerade by Nnedi Okorafor

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adventurous emotional inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The final chapter in the Binti trilogy does not disappoint. Actions beyond Binti's control impact her family, her friends, her neighbors, and even Binti herself. She sets off to do what she can, but it may be too late. This was a beautiful conclusion to the series. Filled with themes of family, acceptance, and change. 
Home by Nnedi Okorafor

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adventurous emotional inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Binti: Home picks up a year after Binti. Here we get a look into a deeper look into the conflict between the Khoush and the Meduse. We also get more of the Meduse's history. What's great about this book is that it's written with the intent of someone going home for summer vacation and bringing a friend home. In this case, the friend is an alien, whose species was/are willing to commit genocide to prove a point. But, we see Binti grows as she learns more of her lineage, and is tested in unexpected ways.  
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Binti is a wonderful introduction to the world that Nnedi is creating. Here we are introduced to Binti and an alien species known as the Meduse. There's a lot that goes on here within the short amount of pages, but if you move on to the other two books, Home and The Night Masquerade, this introduction story is worth it. 
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S.A. Chakraborty

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Someone recommended this book for One Piece fans and I can see why. Not a pirate adventure like Pirates of the Caribbean, this one follows Amina Al-Sirafi as she comes out of retirement  to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a former crewmate. She in her 40's, she's got a bad knee, and she has to get her crew back together who are none to happy with the way things ended. During her adventure she encounters mythical creatures, sea beasts, manic sorcerers, and an estranged ex who works her last good nerve. 
Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh

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challenging emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I liked this book. I wanted to love it. It's not a bad read by any means, but it took too long for anything significant to happen for me. 6 teenagers and 4 vets are on a space mission to a distant planet named Terra-Two. The trip will take them 23 years and requires them to travel out of our solar system. You get a POV off all 6 teens, but the book mainly focuses on 3.  It also focuses on the mental and physical impacts that space travel has on astronauts.  I thought the book was going to focus on their 23 year travel and the significant moments that happen in between, but that was not the case. 

It is beautifully written. The descriptions she uses, and the way the imagery is laid out is magnificent. I would pick up another of Temi Oh's books. 
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

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funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was not expecting to love Yours Truly the way that I did, but I immediately went and got the paperback and digital editions after I finished reading. This was the perfect romantic comedy. You have two leads who are both great people. The build up of their romance feels earned and there's just the right amount of drama where you aren't put off from the characters or the plot. Briana (the FMC), is hilarious. Although, she is dealing with some personal issues, she is smart, she is hilarious, she breathes life in to the book and in to Jacob as well. This book alone has made me a fan of Abby Jimenez and I can't wait to check more of her works. 
Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I loved Children of Blood and Bone. I loved Children of Virtue and Vengeance just as much. They are very different tonally. Children and Blood was a cat-and-mouse chase  meets a race against the clock to return magic before it's lost forever book. This book deals with the consequences of the characters returning magic back. Relationships deepen. We meet new characters and new forces of opposition arise to challenge the maji's pursuit of peace. Once again, we read this book from different perspectives and it is just as successful this time around.  Because of the stakes, the different POVs makes you question who is wrong and who is right throughout the book. I know my thoughts changed with each chapter. I loved the continued growth of the characters. The new characters introduced in this book are fantastic additions to the cast, and returning characters have significant impact. I cannot wait for book 3 to release shortly. 
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