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zinelib's reviews
491 reviews
Tehrangeles by Porochista Khakpour
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Tehrangeles is told in multiple voices, and in some chapters has omniscient narration. Most (all?) of the narrators are members of the Milani family, Iranian-Americans living in Los Angeles, wealthy due to a frozen food sensation created by dad Al (Ali). Mom Homa is quiet, aloof, but somehow also all in on the family's 24-carat lifestyle. The daughters are Violet, a 20-year-old model; Roxanna-Vanna, a 17 or 18-year old influencer; Mina a maybe 15 or 16-year-old closeted she-doesn't-know-what-yet-but-definitely-queer, and Haylee is 14 and a gym rat/health nut.
We meet the Milanis in late 2019 as they're planning a new reality show with producers. The worldwide shut down shuts down production, as well, and the family are left to their own neuroses. Violet takes up baking, Haylee takes up QAnon, Mina goes deep on K-pop, and Roxanna...lasts about two months before she decides they need to throw a party.
At one point I wondered if the four-daughters were Little Women-ish, but I didn't think the personalities gibed. But somewhere near the end, one of the sisters references the Alcott book, and we learn from author Khakpour that there was a connection--Tehrangeles started as a sort of hate-write of Little Women. That makes me like it a little more, but ultimately, I found the narration changes frustrating and the characters unsympathetic. I guess if it's a hate-write, the characters are meant to be annoying, but I think the book would have benefited from less authorial distaste.
We meet the Milanis in late 2019 as they're planning a new reality show with producers. The worldwide shut down shuts down production, as well, and the family are left to their own neuroses. Violet takes up baking, Haylee takes up QAnon, Mina goes deep on K-pop, and Roxanna...lasts about two months before she decides they need to throw a party.
At one point I wondered if the four-daughters were Little Women-ish, but I didn't think the personalities gibed. But somewhere near the end, one of the sisters references the Alcott book, and we learn from author Khakpour that there was a connection--Tehrangeles started as a sort of hate-write of Little Women. That makes me like it a little more, but ultimately, I found the narration changes frustrating and the characters unsympathetic. I guess if it's a hate-write, the characters are meant to be annoying, but I think the book would have benefited from less authorial distaste.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use
When Life Gives You Vampires by Gloria Duke
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This is a fun story about an accidental vampire becoming accustomed to her new circumstances. Lily is our protagonist, and has a wonderfully supportive best friend. Her mom is okay, too, other than having tried to get Lily to lose weight her entire life. The weight thing has been hard on Lily's self-esteem, so she's surprised when a hottie like Tristan shows interest. But then...oops, turns out Tristan may have wanted only One Thing--Lily's tasty blood.
Too bad Tristan, who is actually a nice guy, if a little old fashioned (a hazard of being hundreds of years old), has an enemy, who uses Lily's accidental turning into a Huge Deal. Battle of life or death ensues and of course, love wins.
Too bad Tristan, who is actually a nice guy, if a little old fashioned (a hazard of being hundreds of years old), has an enemy, who uses Lily's accidental turning into a Huge Deal. Battle of life or death ensues and of course, love wins.
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
dark
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
The titular Clover is a death doula. She lives alone in her dead grandfather's old rent controlled apartment, and her only friend is her grandfather's old friend Leo (who is gratuitously Black with a gold tooth). Her life is strangers' passages, but in this part of Clover's story, someone moves into the building who wants to be her friend. And a guy from a death café maybe wants to date her. Suddenly she's interacting with living people, as well as the guy's grandmother (who seems to have a non-painful case of pancreatic cancer). Clover sees to granny (I finished this book two weeks ago and have forgotten everyone's names), and granny and the neighbor, and even the guy, who is kind of a douche, see to making Clover join the land of the living.
It's a fine story.
It's a fine story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
4.5
Hanna's writing style is casual and funny--like a zine, even when she's talking about intense experiences, including sexual assault, child abuse, and betrayal. It also has a ziney-confessional tone wherein people reflect on their past often problematic actions and try to explain or correct them.
Despite the often harsh realities depicted, the book doesn't feel heavy. The chapters are short and compelling. I loved reading it.
Thanks, Edelweiss for the digital ARC!
Despite the often harsh realities depicted, the book doesn't feel heavy. The chapters are short and compelling. I loved reading it.
Thanks, Edelweiss for the digital ARC!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
Miss Me With That: Hot Takes, Helpful Tidbits and a Few Hard Truths by Rachel Lindsay
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.25
Not to be a snob, but SMART Bachelor Nation memoir--wut?!?! Rachel Lindsay is a 2nd (or more?) generation attorney whose Bachelor audition was an impulsive fluke. She made it into the top three. Then she was out...and immediately IN as the first Black Bachelorette.
Lindsay's memoir is a more traditional memoir than you might expect. It isn't until about halfway through that The Bachelor makes its appearance. She tells us about growing up Black in a white suburb and of reckoning her privilege with the racism that no amount of money or prestige could protect her from.
The Bachelor/ette stories are informative and sometimes juicy, but Lindsay is too classy to spill all the tea (I hate that).
Lindsay's memoir is a more traditional memoir than you might expect. It isn't until about halfway through that The Bachelor makes its appearance. She tells us about growing up Black in a white suburb and of reckoning her privilege with the racism that no amount of money or prestige could protect her from.
The Bachelor/ette stories are informative and sometimes juicy, but Lindsay is too classy to spill all the tea (I hate that).
At Her Feet by Rebekah Weatherspoon
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Confession: I thought this was a romance going in, not erotica! It's a good read, but more sex than I expected. The protagonist, Suzanne, is into mommy/little girl domination as a sub. Her last domme messed her up, so she's got trust issues when she meets Pilar (Mami P) on kinklife.
The plot of the book is the two of them working out Suzy's issues and falling in love. And doing a lot of fucking. It's a sweet story and an interesting look into a world other vanillas and I don't know about!
The plot of the book is the two of them working out Suzy's issues and falling in love. And doing a lot of fucking. It's a sweet story and an interesting look into a world other vanillas and I don't know about!
Wildcard by Marie Lu
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Solid follow up to Warcross with some real surprises.
Warcross by Marie Lu
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This is a fun, Matrixy, romancey, Wargamesy read about an orphaned teen bounty hunter and a tech billionaire in virtual worlds and IRL. And the end: total surprise to me, even if, upon further reflection, it feels implausible.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
When a bisexual teen moves from Palo Alto to Provo, he goes back in the closet because all the happy Mormons are total dicks if you cross them (cross = mind your own business living your best gay life in a town they dominate). And then...he falls in love with the bishop's son, who has a lot to unpack.
What's such a bummer about this book is it seems that there's no way for a kid who loves and believes in Mormonism to stay in the church if he wants to love who he loves. You can be gay, but you can't do gay.
It's a long will-they-or-won't-they, but not too long!
What's such a bummer about this book is it seems that there's no way for a kid who loves and believes in Mormonism to stay in the church if he wants to love who he loves. You can be gay, but you can't do gay.
It's a long will-they-or-won't-they, but not too long!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia
Counting the Cost by Jill Duggar
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Pretty much what you'd expect from a Christian reality television tell-all. Absorbing read (listen), but also give me a break.