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zenzi2read's reviews
691 reviews
Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
This was a realistic, but optimistic coming of age story that didn’t overstay its welcome.
The voice acting really made the most out of the epistolary format. There was a bit of spice in those letters, but I still think that this would be suitable for a team to listen to. I also think this would be a perfect read for fans of Tiffany D Jackson’s allegedly.
The character development really made these two complex characters likable, even when they were arguing, and their relationship became a bit toxic. The author made me do something that I would never do in real life. I was rooting for Natasha, a driven intelligent team on her way to great things to stick with Antonio, who is a convicted felon!
Their connection to each other was refreshing even when they weren’t good for each other 100%
The voice acting really made the most out of the epistolary format. There was a bit of spice in those letters, but I still think that this would be suitable for a team to listen to. I also think this would be a perfect read for fans of Tiffany D Jackson’s allegedly.
The character development really made these two complex characters likable, even when they were arguing, and their relationship became a bit toxic. The author made me do something that I would never do in real life. I was rooting for Natasha, a driven intelligent team on her way to great things to stick with Antonio, who is a convicted felon!
Their connection to each other was refreshing even when they weren’t good for each other 100%
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Vomit
Come Join Us by the Fire by Theresa DeLucci
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
This was a solid collection with a handful of standouts. Of the 36 short stories I’d recommend more than half and they were probably 10 that were excellent. For collection I think those are good statistics.
I enjoyed stories by John Langdon, John Trembly and Victor Lavalle - is the authors that I’m familiar with and already have high expectations of.
The new to me authors that really surprised me in a pleasant way were Kij Johnson, Priya Shawarma, and Molly Tanzer.
I enjoyed stories by John Langdon, John Trembly and Victor Lavalle - is the authors that I’m familiar with and already have high expectations of.
The new to me authors that really surprised me in a pleasant way were Kij Johnson, Priya Shawarma, and Molly Tanzer.
The Thick and the Lean by Chana Porter
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 3%.
Not interested in a teen main character
The Route of Ice and Salt by José Luis Zárate
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The writing was brilliant, and I have to respect the work that the translator did with this language. But ultimately, I think that this novel is a product of its times and made for a challenging read.
There’s plenty of racism, xenophobia and homophobia to be found here. Some of it was intentional, but I don’t think all of it was. The author chose to create a bond and relationship between the count and our captain. They’re both both considered monsters one because he’s Dracula and the other because he is a homosexual.
The captain was a difficult main character to align with. He is completely consumed by his sexual desire and the need to repress it. He has lustful for young men without agency and children and little else is on his mind, even as his ship begins to fall into trouble. I find this depiction of gay men as sex crazed lunatics to be degrading and very old-fashioned.
At the end, the author attempts to break new ground, but it’s too little too late. I did wish that the book overall spent more time developing the characters of crewmembers and creating a sense of unease aboard the ship instead of staying in the mind of the captain.
There’s plenty of racism, xenophobia and homophobia to be found here. Some of it was intentional, but I don’t think all of it was. The author chose to create a bond and relationship between the count and our captain. They’re both both considered monsters one because he’s Dracula and the other because he is a homosexual.
The captain was a difficult main character to align with. He is completely consumed by his sexual desire and the need to repress it. He has lustful for young men without agency and children and little else is on his mind, even as his ship begins to fall into trouble. I find this depiction of gay men as sex crazed lunatics to be degrading and very old-fashioned.
At the end, the author attempts to break new ground, but it’s too little too late. I did wish that the book overall spent more time developing the characters of crewmembers and creating a sense of unease aboard the ship instead of staying in the mind of the captain.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment
Strange Little Ghouls by Wendy Dalrymple
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
These stories are a solid reflection of the authors, favorite themes and tropes – good for her vibes, women’s identity, body, horror, and descent into madness.
The stories are fast-paced and feature some fun and unique plot points. However, this author has done better work. If I wanted to introduce someone to her work, I would not use these stories to do so. I choose something else from her catalog like White Ibis.
This group of stories is solid, but just not exceptional
The stories are fast-paced and feature some fun and unique plot points. However, this author has done better work. If I wanted to introduce someone to her work, I would not use these stories to do so. I choose something else from her catalog like White Ibis.
This group of stories is solid, but just not exceptional
Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
A book with so many ideas deserves to be longer. I think the amount of worldbuilding there was was interesting. But in order for me to feel attached to the characters to understand their motivations, and to care about everyone’s fate, I needed more time with everyone and the characters be more fleshed out.
Iraxi has lost her family, in the middle of a love triangle, and heavily pregnant when we meet her. There is so much plot that were dropped in the center of! So top it off the court intrigue set during an apocalyptic event. I felt like Iraxi did not get the hero journey she deserved. Worst of all I didn’t care about anybody.
Iraxi has lost her family, in the middle of a love triangle, and heavily pregnant when we meet her. There is so much plot that were dropped in the center of! So top it off the court intrigue set during an apocalyptic event. I felt like Iraxi did not get the hero journey she deserved. Worst of all I didn’t care about anybody.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Pregnancy
And Now She's Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
With a few small changes, I could see this novel being the first book and the successful private eye series. In someways, that’s what this feels like. We get a great deal of background on our private eye while she attempts to solve a twisty mystery. And someways there’s too much background to serve the mystery justice.
The missing person case isn’t handled with enough care or focus. We’re introduced to our client and then quickly introduced to a large group of secondary characters, interviewees, and associates. All of these people lack enough character development to be engaging. They’re mostly just names and a physical trait. It makes it very difficult to differentiate one character from another or to understand who is important in the greater story.
Great deal time is given to flashbacks of life before becoming a private investigator. I’ve seen other thrillers do this, but normally the story from the past runs in parallel in someway to the story from the present. They’re just worn enough points of similarity to make this feel like anything but a disruption.
I think this PI firm has an interesting focus, and our main characters life deserves a deep dive. I just think that too many threads were started here and given unequal focus. Although the mystery was super twisty, it just felt flimsy.
The missing person case isn’t handled with enough care or focus. We’re introduced to our client and then quickly introduced to a large group of secondary characters, interviewees, and associates. All of these people lack enough character development to be engaging. They’re mostly just names and a physical trait. It makes it very difficult to differentiate one character from another or to understand who is important in the greater story.
Great deal time is given to flashbacks of life before becoming a private investigator. I’ve seen other thrillers do this, but normally the story from the past runs in parallel in someway to the story from the present. They’re just worn enough points of similarity to make this feel like anything but a disruption.
I think this PI firm has an interesting focus, and our main characters life deserves a deep dive. I just think that too many threads were started here and given unequal focus. Although the mystery was super twisty, it just felt flimsy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Miscarriage
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Child death, Death of parent
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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
The content of this book is harrowing. This was a book club read for me and to be honest I avoided it because this is a reread and it’s exhausting. If racial and sexual violence are triggered for you I would avoid this entirely and read other Butler work.
But Butler’s talent is undeniable here. Some authors, write the same main character over and over again, putting them in different scenarios throughout their career. Each protagonist that Butler rights is different from the next Dana is sure of herself. Her journey here shows her how easily her strong, driven persona can be stripped when placed in the right scenario. I think it’s common for most people to assume what role they would play if they could impact the lives of slaves or were within the slaves system. The vivid images that Butler creates throw those assumptions out of the window. do you understand Dana’s terror, and you also understand each person’s attitude within this system.
I enjoyed watching the scenario play out. At the beginning of the book Dana states that all of this takes place during a month of her current timeline, but within years of the past, and you feel that time as you read this book, watching Dana and Rufus journey was uncomfortable, but compelling, and adding her husband, Kevin into the story add another complex dimension
But Butler’s talent is undeniable here. Some authors, write the same main character over and over again, putting them in different scenarios throughout their career. Each protagonist that Butler rights is different from the next Dana is sure of herself. Her journey here shows her how easily her strong, driven persona can be stripped when placed in the right scenario. I think it’s common for most people to assume what role they would play if they could impact the lives of slaves or were within the slaves system. The vivid images that Butler creates throw those assumptions out of the window. do you understand Dana’s terror, and you also understand each person’s attitude within this system.
I enjoyed watching the scenario play out. At the beginning of the book Dana states that all of this takes place during a month of her current timeline, but within years of the past, and you feel that time as you read this book, watching Dana and Rufus journey was uncomfortable, but compelling, and adding her husband, Kevin into the story add another complex dimension
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault
Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, Mental illness, Dementia, Death of parent
The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.5
I needed to read a middle grade book for a reading challenge. I was concerned about getting forward by subject matter designed to be suitable to younger ages, but this was entertaining and had enough action and suspense to keep me interested throughout.
I think this is a heartwarming book with enough danger and tension to keep younger audiences excited without overwhelming them with subject matter. That’s too adult. I think this author does a good job of creating a plot that has challenges for each character to meet and obstacles for everyone to overcome without being too traumatic.
I love the stress on the importance of community, history, and diversity. The book respects the people of Harlem and each character is from a different culture and social economic group and family structure. I think that a lot of young people will identify with these characters and enjoy the journey.
I think this is a heartwarming book with enough danger and tension to keep younger audiences excited without overwhelming them with subject matter. That’s too adult. I think this author does a good job of creating a plot that has challenges for each character to meet and obstacles for everyone to overcome without being too traumatic.
I love the stress on the importance of community, history, and diversity. The book respects the people of Harlem and each character is from a different culture and social economic group and family structure. I think that a lot of young people will identify with these characters and enjoy the journey.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death of parent
God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer by Joseph Earl Thomas
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’m not giving this book a lower rating because Joe was a unlikable main character. I’m giving it a lower rating because I don’t think that that wasn’t intentional.
Thomas, as an author, in my opinion, sees Joe as a self sacrificing hero. I do not. This type of literary fiction should have a character that feels somewhat introspective, and I prefer that the character be at some sort of crossroad where they need to make some choices to change the pattern of their lives.
Instead, Joe is stuck in a poor motorcycle. He and his friends bitching about child support and sleeping with their vindictive baby mothers because she might take it out on him or the kids.
I found his poor me text threads with friends to be pathetic. He simply too old to have an unexamined life. In the course of this book, I think I thought more about his decisions and explored his motivations more than he ever attempted to.
I can’t quite call this a deep character study. The things that we know for sure about Joe are that he is depressed oversexed and exhausted. I kept thinking OK now what. I never received the answer.
What this book does get right is the culture of violence and Philadelphia. I think some people would read this book and think the fact that he works in the hospital and his constantly seeing friends going in and out of the emergency room or ending up dead as a bit too coincidental or exaggerated. I lived my whole life and unfortunately that’s not true. This is the part of the book that fell grounded.
I also would’ve liked more concentration on his dissertation. He referenced some books that I’ve read, including Acres of Skin and I think that some readers might not realize that the experiments conducted at the prison and some of the sided books that Joe uses are real occurrences.
Thomas, as an author, in my opinion, sees Joe as a self sacrificing hero. I do not. This type of literary fiction should have a character that feels somewhat introspective, and I prefer that the character be at some sort of crossroad where they need to make some choices to change the pattern of their lives.
Instead, Joe is stuck in a poor motorcycle. He and his friends bitching about child support and sleeping with their vindictive baby mothers because she might take it out on him or the kids.
I found his poor me text threads with friends to be pathetic. He simply too old to have an unexamined life. In the course of this book, I think I thought more about his decisions and explored his motivations more than he ever attempted to.
I can’t quite call this a deep character study. The things that we know for sure about Joe are that he is depressed oversexed and exhausted. I kept thinking OK now what. I never received the answer.
What this book does get right is the culture of violence and Philadelphia. I think some people would read this book and think the fact that he works in the hospital and his constantly seeing friends going in and out of the emergency room or ending up dead as a bit too coincidental or exaggerated. I lived my whole life and unfortunately that’s not true. This is the part of the book that fell grounded.
I also would’ve liked more concentration on his dissertation. He referenced some books that I’ve read, including Acres of Skin and I think that some readers might not realize that the experiments conducted at the prison and some of the sided books that Joe uses are real occurrences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual assault
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, War
Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, Transphobia