tracithomas's reviews
963 reviews

Circle of Hope: A Reckoning with Love, Power, and Justice in an American Church by Eliza Griswold

informative slow-paced

3.0

This is a good book, from a reporting and writing standpoint it is very good. From a storytelling/editorial standpoint it needed a sharper POV and analysis. It goes on too long and the author allows the subjects to speak for themselves in a way that feels too hands off. 

Luster by Raven Leilani

dark funny tense 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? Yes

4.0

I love a messy novel with fucked up characters and this is that. The book started really strong and morphed a lot by the end, but I was with it. The tension as great. The writing was great. The way the author told us what she wanted us to know on her terms added so much to this. It is part satire part domestic thriller and I loved that. I feel like the book didn't fully stick the last 30-40 pages, but i still really enjoyed my time with the book and all it brought up around race, power, and shifting relationships.

Bad Vibes Only: and Other Things I Bring to the Table by Nora McInerny

funny lighthearted sad fast-paced

3.0

I liked this collection broadly and like McInerny's voice. She has a good balance between funny and vulnerable. I think some parts were really strong and some essays felt less urgent to me as a reader, but also maybe to her as the writer. 

Twenty-Four Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds

lighthearted 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? No

4.0

This is a really sweet book for young Black boys about sex. Some of the structural stuff didn't work for me, but I loved the main character and his girlfriend and some of the scenes with his loved ones. It is a tender little book that reminds you that the kids will be alright.

Into the Uncut Grass by Trevor Noah

lighthearted 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? No

4.0

This was a super cute children's book about different ways to see the world and approach disagreements. I loved it and so did my kids! 

Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky

dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This is poetry and narrative together. Somber. Beautiful. A powerful look at war and disability in a creative and resonant way. 

What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futurism by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

challenging hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

This book is A+. It has inspired climate activism in me. The form is brilliant. Dr. Johnson makes you fall in love with her passion and outlook. This is such a fantastic holistic way to see climate and our responsibilities. Yes. 

Gone Wolf by Amber McBride

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I think this is a very sweet book for young folks. I liked the idea of it but think the execution in two parts left me wanting more of a wrap up from the first part and less overall from the second. 

Defectors: The Rise of the Latino Far Right and What It Means for America by Paola Ramos

informative fast-paced

4.0

I liked a lot of the reporting and found the early sections really good. Toward the end the book lost it’s thesis and meanders for a bit before a very strong last chapter. She makes some really good points and generally this is a very solid book. 

Elysium: A Black Diamond Vacation Romance by DL White

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The dialogue in this book is so good. I liked the middle aged couple and found their conflicts to be adult ones which I appreciated. Really good sex scenes. It’s a hair long.